Behind These Eyes
by underdog82
Summary: The Full Metal Alchemist is sent on an assignment to uncover the truth to rumors of repeated attempts at human transmutations. What he finds is more than anyone expected. Especially Mustang.
1. Prologue

_Author's note: I obviously don't own any of this wonderful world. I do, however own anyone I have personally created. That's the beauty of imagination, isn't it? Questions and comments are welcome. Please enjoy._

The grandfather clock at the end of the hall began to chime and Alphonse Elric looked up from his book, startled. He'd gotten immersed in the fantastical story and had lost track of time. Glancing up at the clock on the wall of the room he shared with his brother, Edward, Al jumped to his feet.

"Four hours? I've been reading for four hours? Brother's going to be…"

He stopped, suddenly remembering the events that had transpired that morning.

"_Al, I feel like pancakes."_

_Al stirred from his silent reverie and looked up at Ed, standing over him, dressed, hands on his hips. If he had been able to smile, he would have. "You don't look like pancakes, Brother."_

_Ed chuckled. "You know what I mean. C'mon, I'm gong out for breakfast this morning."_

_Standing, Al thought longingly about the book Ed had bought for him the day before. Ed saw his brother's hesitation and smiled._

"_Go ahead, Al, I'll tackle the pancakes on my own,"_

"_Thanks, Brother." Al picked up his book and immediately flipped to the first page. Ed turned and grabbed his red coat before opening the door. Al looked up and called after him, "Come back here before you head to work!"_

_Ed's voice floated back from down the hall, "Don't worry, Al, I will."  
_

All looked around the room. "Brother didn't come back." A twinge of worry tickled the back of his mind, but he brushed it away, picking up the phone.

"Lt. Hawkeye speaking."

"Lieutenant, may I speak to Edward?"

"I haven't seen Ed yet today. I don't think he's here, actually."

That twinge of worry turned into a tug. "Are you sure?"

Hawkeye's voice took on a reassuring tone. "I'm sure he's fine, Al. If anyone's seen him, the Colonel has. I'll let you talk to him."

"Thank you."

There was a short pause.

"Colonel Roy Mustang."

"Colonel, have you seen my brother?"

"Not today I haven't. I don't think he's come in yet." Mustang became very serious. "Why, is there a problem?"

"It's just…he promised to come back after pancakes and he's been gone for four hours." As Al let the fact slide out, the worry began to take on the ugly shape of panic.

"Pancakes?"

"Colonel…"

"I don't know what to tell you, Al. You know how Full Metal is. He probably decided to get a head start on that assignment I gave him yesterday and he neglected to let anyone know."

"That would be just like him." Panic sat quietly for a moment. "Wait, what assignment? Brother didn't tell me about a new assignment."

"Investigating rumors of human transmutation experimentation. Look, Alphonse, I'll send word to the guards to be on the lookout for Full Metal. If he's not heard from by sundown, I'll start a search."

Panic shrank back to worry, but began to pace the back of Al's mind. "Thanks, Colonel."

Al sighed as he hung up the phone and looked up at the clock again. Four hours and fifteen minutes. 'I could look for Brother myself,' the boy thought. 'But what if they hear from him and try to call me? The Colonel is probably right. Brother probably just forgot to come back and tell me where he was going.' Al picked up his book in an attempt to distract himself. "Brother, why are you always doing this to me?'

_She could feel his hot breath on her cheek as he spoke. "My sources tell me they're sending the great Full Metal Alchemist to investigate us, my sweet, isn't that grand? Now I don't have to go through the trouble of capturing him." He laughed. "How thoughtful of that mighty military of ours. How could they have known how much I've always loved his eyes?" Running a rough finger down her bare arm, he kissed her cheek. "Don't worry, my sweet, we will be finished soon, I promise."_


	2. Chapter One

_Author's note: I obviously don't own any of this wonderful world. I do, however own anyone I have personally created. That's the beauty of imagination, isn't it? Questions and comments are welcome. Please enjoy._

"Hey, watch it!"

"Sorry, kid, I didn't see you."

"Who are you calling so short an ant could step on them?!?"

"Hey, chill out." The man backed away, his hand up in surrender.

Edward Elric, Full Metal Alchemist, looked around as his stomach growled. He'd thought he knew exactly where the pancake house was. Now, he wasn't even sure where he was. Weaving his way through the crowd, Ed looked around for addresses on the buildings…or even street signs.

"Wait a minute." He walked up to one sign and scratched his head. He'd seen that name before. Recently. Digging through his pockets, he came up with a slip of paper with an address on it, in the Colonel's handwriting. "That crazy alchemist is supposed to live around here somewhere."

Immediately on alert, Ed slowed his walking pace and took a good look around. A dark figure brushed past him and disappeared down an alley to the left. An enchantingly sweet smell followed the shadow. The fragrance caused Ed to imagine sweet, tropical fruits and bright, exotic flowers as it seemed to curl itself around his very fibers and pull him along in pursuit. His feet seemed to move on their own, and his mind seemed to cloud over a bit.

Through the haze, Edward still held fast to his mission. Perhaps this person…if it were even a person…had something to do with the rumored human transmutations in this area. "Hey!" Ed's voice emerged choked at first. "Hey, wait!" The figure pulled ahead, and Ed began to run afterward. His focus became intent on the flowing blue cloak in from of him with the tiny bare feet running away from him.

The pursued figure broke into a full sprint and began to laugh, loud and free. Ed hesitated only a slip second before breaking into full pursuit. It turned a sudden sharp corner and Ed followed, his boots sliding on the gravel and right out from under him. He hit the ground hard, knocking the breath from his lungs and scraping his hands through his gloves.

Catching his breath, he pushed himself up from the dirt and quickly looked up to find his target again. It stood about fifteen feet away, its upper body twisted towards him and a sliver of a pale face peeking from behind the heavy hood and gazing at him with deep purple eyes. Ed's stomach dropped, but he managed to get to his feet.

As Ed regained his standing position, the figure took off running again. Ed followed, his mind racing as fast as his feet. 'That thing is…he must have actually attempted a human transmutation. I wonder…' He stopped short as everything went pitch black dark and a door slammed shut behind him. Ed swore under his breath. He'd followed the shadowy figure right into a trap.

A slow, scratchy voice came from somewhere behind Ed. "Thank you, Three, your work is done." A shot rang out, followed by a strangled scream and the sickening thud of a body hitting the floor.

Ed swallowed his horror at the rashly violent act and smirked. "You can't just kill it like that."

The voice made a horrible sound that could barely be classified as a laugh. "Believe me, child, she is dead."

"But…"

"Shhh…" Ed felt a hand heavy on his shoulder. "There will be plenty of time for beautiful stories later. Right now, we have work to do."

Ed pulled away and spun around, completely unable to see anything. "What kind of work?"

"Very important work, Edward, dear." The voiced had moved, and once again Ed spun to face it.

'What's going on here?' he thought, remembering the deep purple eyes and then the sickening thud. Out loud, he asked, "What do you need from me?"

"All in good time, child, all in good time."

Ed was suddenly pulled forward by the waist. A quick search by touch revealed that he had a rope tied there, tugging at him, forcing him to walk. 'Damnit, I didn't even notice.' He tried to pull against it, to walk on his own terms, but the strength of whatever dragged him closer to wherever he was going outmatched his own. Ed dropped his voice and almost growled, "Let me go."

"The voice was right next to his ear, breathing hot on his face. "Relax, child, I promise…"

"I am not a child!!" The Full Metal Alchemist swung his fist up and back and smashed it into the face hanging over his shoulder. A pained howl ran out as Full Metal clapped his hands together and a bright blue light produced a long blade from his automail hand. As the only briefly lit room went dark again, he sliced neatly through the rope and set himself free. "Show your face, bastard!"

The voice moved away as it spoke condescendingly. "I thought you might be able to behave, Edward, so we could do this nicely." There was a long, raspy sigh far off to Ed's left. "Now we have to do it the hard way."

With a blunt force that knocked the air from his lungs and cracked two ribs, Ed was slammed against the wall, smacking his head on the brick, causing the world to spin.

"I suggest you do not try that again, child."

Shackles were clasped around the boy's wrists and he was hoisted into the air, his hands pulled as far apart as possible, stretching his arms to the limit. He again began to move forward against his will.

"I've looked forward to this day ever since I first saw your face, Edward." The voice now seemed to follow Ed in his involuntary travels.

"What the hell do you want from me?!?"

"Your eyes, my child. I want your eyes."


	3. Chapter Two

For the hundredth time in the past five hours and forty-eight minutes, Alphonse put down his book and began to pace, fighting the urge to run out and search for his still absent brother. If Ed were only investigating and not in trouble, Al's intrusion might put in him danger. Or, at the very least and most likely, irritate him.

All stopped at the window and gazed at the people below, hurrying home after a long day. "But Brother, we always go together." He subconsciously searched every corner and dark alley in sight for signs of Edward.

After a few minutes, Al registered the room taking on a rosy tint and looked toward the horizon. The sun was resting on the line of the land, preparing to dip below the surface. As a snake, coiled and waiting for this very moment, Al bolted for the phone. He grasped the receiver just as the phone began to ring. Startled, he almost dropped it. Eyes figuratively wide, he brought the receiver to where his ear might be.

"Brother?"

"I take it you haven't seen him yet either, Alphonse." The smooth, deep voice of the Colonel was a far cry from what Al really wanted to hear.

"No, sir."

"Alright." There was a click, and it took Al a moment to realize that Mustang had hung up.

"But…" Al put the receiver back in the cradle and slowly sank to sit on the bed, his weight causing it to creak. He sat there a moment before his plan of action became clear. Then, almost leaping off the bed, he ran out the door in very much the same intent manner Ed had that morning. Except Al sought something much more important than pancakes.

XXX

Colonel Roy Mustang entered the briefing room and faced the handful of soldiers and State Alchemists he'd gather several hours before. He caught Lieutenant Hawkeye's stern eyes and returned her gaze. To his left stood Major Armstrong, an intimidating presence in the corner, his eyes alert. Mustang squashed the surge of pride he felt walking to the front of this group of his subordinates in order to keep his expression professional. "Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we will be staying late tonight."

"Is that Full Metal brat going to reimburse me for my date?"

One look from Mustang told Havoc that it was not a time to joke.

Just then, someone began pounding on the door. Hawkeye immediately went to answer it and turn away any overinsistent paperpushers. As soon as she turned the knob, however, the door was pushed in and a suit of armor almost as large as Armstrong entered the startled room.

Hawkeye caught the suit by the arm. "Alphonse…"

"Colonel…" the boy broke in, facing Mustang, "I am going with you."

The boy and the Colonel stared at each other for a moment. Finally, Al bowed his head in defeat. Mustang fought the urge to smirk. "Have a seat, Alphonse, and listen carefully."

Mustang pulled down a map of Central and procured and pointer. "The subject of Full Metal's most recent assignment is rumored to the residing here." He smacked the map with his pointer. "And our sources tell us that Full Metal was last seen here." Another smack, same general area. "This is the area we will be focusing on. Any questions?"

Al began to raise his hand, but Hawkeye, standing behind him, placed her hand on his shoulder. "Stay with me." He nodded.

"All right then, move out."

XXX

"What?!?" Ed's mind couldn't get past what he'd just been told. "You want my…what?!?" He and the voice still moved through the dark.

"Your eyes. Hasn't anyone every told you how beautiful they are?"

"What?" Images of his mother flashed through Ed's mind. His voice softened. "Yes." A door opened to a very bright room in front of him and he snapped back, remembering where he was. "Why…what do you want with my eyes?"

The voice faded as Edward was lowered and dragged through the doorway, now having to run to keep up with the chains pulling his arms forward. "Here is where I leave you, child. Have a safe journey."

"You bastard!" Ed continued to yell. "Tell me what you're going to do with my eyes, damnit!"

The room Edward entered was so bright he had to blink several times to be able to see at all after the pitch black room before.

Ed vision finally focused on a pair of plum eyes, staring at him so close that they were trying to merge into one. He jerked back, wrenching his arms and grunting in pain. He'd stopped moving. Startled, figure backed away. When he could see the whole person, he finally saw that she was a girl. Or a woman. Age was hard to tell. When she spoke, it was in a voice that might erupt in a girly squeal or purr seductively. Or anything in between.

"And you are…?"

Ed scoffed. "Why the hell should I tell you?"

The girl strutted a full circle around Ed. "Word is, you're the great Full Metal Alchemist." She stopped and peered at him closely. "Are you?"

Ed returned her steady gaze with a scowl. "I am."

"You sure don't look so great."

"Let me go and I'll show you great." Ed took a step forward, ignoring the pain as his arms were pulled back.

She took a step back. "I can't do that, he will kill me."

"Who is he?"

"In fact," she looked around nervously, "we should get started."

"Started with what? You're not going to take my eyes, are you?" Images of knives and tongs and scary twisty tools danced through Ed's mind.

She giggled. "Silly boy, I don't have magic in my fingers."

Edward's eyes grew wide. "Magic in your…shit! He's using alchemy."

She giggled again and turned her back, walking to a table in a corner. Ed could hear water running and bottles clinking together. "Yes, I think that's what he calls it." She turned back to him, carrying a large, steaming bowl.

Ed glanced around the room, mumbling to himself. "I should have seen it. The rumors are true. But what exactly is he doing?" He was drawn from his scattered thoughts by a tug on his coat and a snipping sound. "Hey! Hey, stop that!"

She looked up at Ed from her task of cutting up the side seam of his red overcoat. "I can't get your clothes off with you all shackled up like that unless I cut them off of you."

"Then unshackle me, damnit!" Ed roared, swinging on his chains and stressing his shoulders. "Wait…take my clothes of?" A deep blush crept into Ed's cheeks as he tried to squirm out of her grasp.

The girl…or woman…took a firm hold of Ed's hips. Ed yelped in surprise and tried to jerk away. "Hold still," she demanded, "I need to finish my job."

"No!" Ed protested violently as she grabbed him around the waist with one arm and finished cutting off his overcoat and his black shirt, letting them both flutter to the ground. "Don't you dare touch me, bitch!"

She suddenly stopped and sat back, staring at Ed's bare torso, wide-eyed. "You're…" She swallowed, trying to force the words past the block in her throat. Ed waited quietly, guessing what might come next. "You're not…whole…either."

Ed's eyebrows raised on their own volition. "Either?"

She'd begun to trace the line on Ed's shoulder where skin met metal with a timid finger. "Yes," she whispered, her voice husky.

Lips pursed tightly together and eyes shining with gathered tears, she took a step back and began to unbutton her oversized linen shirt.

Ed wanted to look away, but somehow couldn't. "Wait…" he protested only halfheartedly.

Tears spilled over onto her hot cheeks as she reached the last button and pulled her shirt open.

Ed gasped at the sight…the angry purple scars covering her chest.

She drew in a shuddered breath and let it out with a sob.

"He…he took my…"


	4. Chapter Three

_So I suppose I should have warned you about the slight nudity in the last chapter. And the possibility for disturbedness. Well…there's more nudity in this chapter…but it's really of no consequence and hopefully won't offend anyone. Please enjoy._

Edward forced himself to breathe through the disgust clutching his stomach. The girl's eyes had clouded over, as though she were lost in her thoughts. Ed's mind refused to process what he was seeing. The room has settled into an uncomfortable silence. Edward began to squirm again.

With a sudden jerk, the chains began to drag Ed forward again. The creak of the pulleys woke the girl from her silent self-loathing.

"No…no!" She quickly buttoned her shirt back up and began yelling at the ceiling. "No! I'm not done yet!"

Ed stopped and the room went black, dark as the first one. A door opened and shut somewhere, and suddenly the voice came from over Ed's shoulder. "What's the delay?"

"He fought…and made it hard…" she tried.

The voice interrupted. "Edward, I thought we talked about this." The tone was almost threatening.

"I've got it under control now," she covered. "See? He fights no more."

"Good girl, Five. Do not delay anymore."

"Yes, sir."

The door opened and shut again, and light flooded the room, blinding Edward once more. Five, as she seemed to be called, was unaffected. She began whistling as she picked up her scissors.

"Wait!" Ed blinked furiously, his vision returning quicker than before. She paused, having already cut halfway up his left pant leg. "What, exactly, is your job? Why do you need me…naked?" The thought of being nude in front of her made him blush deeply again.

Five stared blankly at him is if unprepared to explain herself. She blinked once and continued cutting, as if she decided she didn't need to explain herself after all. Ed squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the last of his clothes slide from his body, subconsciously hoping that she couldn't see what he couldn't see. He could sense her coming close to him and kicked out. She caught his ankle and held fast.

"I told him you wouldn't fight."

"Of course I'm going to fight!" Ed began to yell, kicking with his other leg and wrenching his shoulders terribly, "You've got me hanging from the ceiling, naked!"

"I don't want to do this, Mr. Full Metal."

"Then don't!"

Five sighed. Ed's leg was stretched out and a shackle was clapped around his ankle. His kicking abilities were severely disabled by this, but he still tried, managing to land a foot square in Five's stomach. She groaned and slapped him hard across the face. Ed finally opened his eyes.

"Bitch!"

"Don't fight me!" Five grabbed his other leg while it had paused in its kicking and quickly shackled that ankle as well. She turned her back.

"What are you doing?" Ed's whole body tensed.

"My job."

"What the hell is that?" He was beginning to feel frantic. As five turned back, he squeezed his eyes shut again, wanting to disappear into the blackness behind his lids. He could sense her coming closer and closer, and he began to scream, determined to fight until the end. "Don't touch me! Damnit, don't touch me!"

Edward heard Five giggle. "Silly boy…"

Something soft and wet touched the base of Ed's neck and moved up his flesh arm. He quieted and peeked at Five. With that bowl of hot water and a sponge, she was bathing him.

Edward's eyes widened. "Is this your only job?"

Five nodded. As she brought the sponge across Ed's chest, he could smell sweet oils that had been mixed with the water. He let himself relax a little, but only physically. With the crisis to his dignity downgraded to only minorly embarrassing, his mind returned to the bigger problem at hand.

Why didn't he…whoever he was…want to be seen? Was it because of the side effects of his human transmutations? How did he create such…weird…homunculi? Homunculi that could die, no less?

"Five?" Ed looked away as the sponge moved lower. Five looked up at him, but looked away at the sight of his embarrassment. "Why can't we see him?"

Five paused in her work with that same blank stare as before…as though what she needed to answer with simply wasn't there.

Ed tried again. "Why does the room have to be dark before he comes in?"

Five blinked and went back to her task.

Ed sighed, and only halfhearted asked, "Why does he call you Five?"

"Because I was the fifth chosen."

Ed perked up. "Chosen for what?"

Five walked back to the table and returned with a towel. "To sacrifice a part of myself for the cause." She choked up slightly as she began to rub him dry. "It is an honor to be chosen." She looked up at him. "You will be Seven."

"What about the others?" Edward couldn't help but think about Three, peeking at him from behind her hood…and the gunshot that ended her life.

Five unshackled Ed's ankles and stood. "Perhaps you will meet them on your journey." With those words, the chains began to pull Ed forward towards yet another door.

As the doorway encompassed him, the room behind went dark. Edward could barely make out the voice. "Thank you, Five, your work is done."

Horror washed over him. "No…"

A shot rang out.

XXX

"Riza?"

Alphonse spoke in a voice that made it impossible for Lieutenant Hawkeye to forget that the soul encased in that suit of armor was still the soul of a young boy. The fear and timidity and the fact that he'd used her first name told her that he was reaching out for comfort, not military answers.

"Alphonse," she tried to warm her voice for him. "How many times has Edward come back from a mission dead?"

"None."

"And even if he's injured, how many times have we been unable to put him back together to his good old stubborn self?"

Al would have smiled slightly if he could. "None."

"Why would it start now?" Hawkeye raised an eyebrow and the corners of her lips before being called to the front of the stealthily moving group.

"But…" Alphonse whispered, almost afraid to voice his concern, "…how many times has he been completely without me?"

_Okay…I'm not sure whether the two parts of this chapter should be switched. Honestly, it bothers me quite a bit. Opinions? Also…this happens kinda early in the timeline. Before things get really messy with the homunculi and Dante and everything. Hope you're enjoying it!_


	5. Chapter Four

_I decided to change the rating for some foul language and scenes that may come in the future. Questions and comments are always welcome. Please enjoy._

Ed was dragged into another dark room. He knew by now that his meant he was there. He who could not be seen. Ed couldn't swallow his anger.

"You bastard! They might not have souls, but you can't just kill them!"

The voice was arrogant. "Trust me, child, they have souls."

"Then how can you just off then like that?!?"

"Edward Elric, Full Metal Alchemist. You must change your perspective of things. My pawns already have." The voice circled Ed as he moved forward. "They are all pieces of the puzzle." Everything stopped. "Just like you."

Ed hadn't noticed, he was so caught up in his argument with this twisted man, but he'd been lifted up and was now dangling three feet in the air. A shaft of light fell like a curtain from the ceiling, encompassing Edward and revealing a large stone table just below his boots. Looking down, he could see a figure in the shadow of the table, two orbs of sparkling purple reflecting the light. "Who is this? What did you take from her?"

"Four sacrificed her beautiful little feet."

"For what? What is this great plan of yours?"

"You'll see." There was a slight pause, and then the voice snickered. "Actually, you won't."

Edward roared with rage as he was lowered to the table. Four emerged from the shadows and before Ed could see what was happening, she stuck him in the side with a long needle, injecting a substance into his body that immediately took effect.

The Full Metal Alchemist was paralyzed from the neck down. But that didn't stop his mouth at all. He continued to yell and swear as the one called Four made her way around him slowly, strapping him tightly to the table. Ed's eyes followed her as she worked, trying to catch her downcast gaze.

"Three and Four were sisters, both possessing lovely hands and feet. So, instead of letting one sister have twice the glory, I let them split it." The voice inched closer as it spoke.

Four stole a glance at her subject and her violet gaze was caught by gold. She bit her lip as she tightened the last strap. Taking a step back, a single tear fell from her eyes and her lips silently formed the words, "Help her."

Suddenly, Four's brains exploded through her face as a gunshot rang out. Blood splattered across Edward's immobilized body and he screamed.

XXX

Winding their way through dark alleys, the search party stepped softly. The atmosphere was tense. Mustang signaled for the group to stop.

"We're getting close." The Colonel kept his voice low. No one questioned how he knew. "Alphonse, stay here and keep watch."

Al looked up. "But…"

"I'm going to be posting guards intermittently from this point on. I'm sorry, Alphonse, but your armor makes silence impossible. Stay here and cover our backs. "

Lowering his helmet, Al sighed. "Yes, sir." He wanted to be a part of the action, to be the first to see his brother alive and well.

Hawkeye looked from Mustang to Alphonse and back, then followed as the Colonel started walking again. Several minutes later, Havoc was posted at a corner.

As the group melted away into the shadows, Havoc pulled out his pack of cigarettes and prepared to light one up.

"Don't." The tone of Hawkeye's voice matched the hard cold of the barrel of her gun, pressed to his temples. Havoc dropped the cigarette and Hawkeye headed off.

"Damn," Havoc mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and slumping against the wall.

Out in front of the group, Mustang paused at a doorway and set his jaw. Placing a hand on the door, he muttered under his breath, "Damn."

"Sir?" Hawkeye pulled up behind him.

"Fury, Breda."

Without a word, the two men moved to take post, one on either side of the door.

From the other side, a terrible noise rang out…a scream filled with terror and rage.

"My god." Colonel Roy Mustang raised his hand and snapped, instantly creating a pile of smoking ash out of the heavy wooden door. He moved to enter, but felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Allow me, sir." Major Armstrong stepped past Mustang and ducked through the door into the pitch black room. The boy's screaming did not stop. Hawkeye wondered in the Colonel had purposefully posted Alphonse out of earshot. She and Mustang followed Armstrong. Mustang snapped, the short flame lasting just long enough for the trio to see the empty room and the door at the other end. As they made their way to the door, the screaming broke into coherent words.

"You sick fucking bastard! You…fucking…sick…bastard!" The words continued like some sort of mantra, causing the trio to almost run to the next door. Mustang raised his hand, but Hawkeye raised hers as well.

"Wait, sir."

Mustang opened his mouth to protest, but shut it again as Hawkeye grasped the handle and pulled the door open.

She waved them through, admonishing, "Hurry."

The next room was just as dark, and another short burst of flame revealed another door straight ahead. As Mustang, Armstrong, and Hawkeye moved quickly but carefully through the black, the screaming suddenly stopped, choked.

"Shit." Mustang broke into a run, nearly tumbling to the ground as he tripped over a soft bundle in the middle of the floor. He reached the door and Hawkeye and Armstrong pulled up behind him. "Major, take the left. Lieutenant, cover us." His tone was clipped, no nonsense. He raised his hand, took a deep breath, and snapped.

_Sorry for the short chapters…I'm trying to break them in good spots. Thanks!_


	6. Chapter Five

Eyes wide, Edward frantically searched the shadows for the man terrorizing him. "You sick fucking bastard!" he screamed.

"Now, now, Edward." The voice tried to be soothing. "I only do what I must."

"You...fucking…sick…bastard!" Ed was panting for breath. "You…sick…fucking…bastard!"

"I can't have you wasting your energy, child." Out of nowhere, a cloth was shoved deep into Edward's mouth. "That's better." A face loomed right over Ed's from the head of the table.

Unable to voice his terror, Edward choked it back, pulling air frantically in through his nose. Even if it had been right side up, the face before Ed would have made his stomach drop. It was scarred and disfigured. The nose was gone, replaced by a large patch of mottled purple and gray. The lips were merely scar tissue stretched painfully over teeth, and the forehead ended in a matted, bloody mess of the rest of the head. These hideous features twisted into what might have been a smile as the man who owned them studies Edward's wide, staring eyes.

"Perfect. Absolutely perfect." He looked over his shoulder. "Come along, Two. Now is the time." Ed thought he heard a small whimper come from beneath him, but he dismissed it as his body betraying him and his fear.

Yet another figure emerged from the shadows and immediately reached out, pulling Edward's eyelids shut and holding them there. As she did so, there was an explosion at one end of the room.

XXX

Mustang surveyed the room for only a moment before springing into action. Beneath the single shaft of light, there was a table with two figures huddled around it. Between them, a blonde head could barely be seen. Mustang ran around the right side of the room as one of the figures raised a hand toward Edward.

The Colonel briefly made eye contact with Armstrong and they immediately had an understanding. He knew without a doubt that Hawkeye was exactly where she needed to be. He stepped toward the group in the center of the room. "Don't move."

The figure obviously didn't feel like it needed to follow the order. Mustang could almost make out what it was doing as he continued to approach. Two more steps and he could discern the beginnings of transmutation circles on Edward's closed eyelids.

"If you wish to keep that hand, sir," Mustang threatened, "I suggest you move it away from the boy."

The caught the figure's attention and it turned, but its hand stayed over Edward. "Silly man…"

It only took Mustang a split second to push his mind past the image of the grotesque lump of flesh facing him. "I warned you." The man's hand burst into flames.

Without a second thought, the man turned to the second figure. "Cut it off now, Two." The female ran around the table, pulling a large knife from her robe. Edward's eyes snapped open with his lids suddenly free. His sight rolled around the room to land on Colonel Mustang.

With a violent swing that knocked her hood from her head, Two sliced the man's hand clean off. It burned to ash on the stone floor.

Armstrong silent approached the table from the left side of the room. He stopped when he saw that both figures were not only lacking hair, but also lacking scalps completely; oozing, angry wounds covered both heads. He quickly snapped from his stupor and reached towards Edward, aiming to unstrap the boy. Edward's eyes whipped from Mustang to Armstrong, but landed on the bloody stump that had begun to descend upon his face.

"Thank you, Colonel." The raspy voice was arrogant. "You just brought me one step closer that much quicker." The stump inched toward Ed, dripping blood rolling off Ed's nose and down his cheek. Turning, the man started to reach under the table with his other hand. Armstrong knew the man was planning on transmuting Ed somehow, and thought the man might be reaching for a weapon. He immediately sprang into action, reaching across the table and pulling the man's arm away from Edward, slamming his face into the stone surface.

At the same moment, a gunshot rang out. Ed tried to scream and began to choke on his gag. Hawkeye's bullet barely grazed the man's now bent back and struck the girl square in the chest.

"Idiots!" Blood pouring from his face still mashed against the table, the man squirmed out of Armstrong's grip as Armstrong focused on clearing Ed's airway. The man stood, his eyes crazed.

Mustang stepped forward, his voice harsh. "I have had enough of you." He snapped, and the flailing man went up in flames, his tortured screams rising and dying quickly as his frail flesh failed him. The lifeless body sank to the floor with a thud and a sizzle and the table began to shake violently.

Armstrong snapped the straps tying Edward to the table as the boy gulped in air. The strong man took him by the shoulders and stood him on the ground beside the table. Ed's legs gave out beneath him and his arms remained useless to catch himself. Before anyone saw what was happening, Ed's head hit the stone floor with a crack.

Before his vision fully faded to black, Edward gazed in horror at a large pair of deep purple eyes, gazing back in horror from under the table.


	7. Chapter Six

_Sorry it's been a while…_

Colonel Roy Mustang lowered his arm and let out the breath he'd been holding. Quickly surveying the room and taking in the mess left behind as the smoke cleared, he began to call out orders.

"Major, get Full Metal out of here. Take Alphonse when you meet him, and send the others this way." Mustang looked around the room again and found Hawkeye emerging from the shadows on the outskirts of the room. They locked eyes. "Lieutenant, get Investigations in here. We need to know what's going on."

Hawkeye nodded sharply. "Yes, sir."

As Hawkeye walked off, speaking with headquarters, Armstrong scooped Edward into his arms. Still bent over, he glanced up and found himself staring into the deep violet eyes of a terrified face. Startled, he almost dropped Ed, and held the boy tighter to him. "Colonel, there's…"

"Yes, Major, I know." Mustang walked slowly up to the table, letting his boots click on the stone floor. "I'll deal with that." His stern gaze traveled from the pale face of the Full Metal Alchemist to the alert eyes of Armstrong. "Dismissed."

The Colonel watched Armstrong's retreating back for a moment before placing a gloved hand on the surface of the table in front of him and squatting. A gasp involuntarily escaped his lips.

A thin, trembling girl was tied, spread eagled and stark naked, to the legs of the table, her face six inches from the underside of the surface. As her large, purple eyes met Mustang's intense gaze, a tear welled and fell, tracing its way down a pale cheek. Mustang's mind vaguely tried to make a connection between those eyes and something he'd seen before, but faltered. Instinctively, the man reached out and cupped her face, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

The girl's trembling increased and she twisted, pulling on the ties that bound her, making them slice deeper into her wrists and ankles.

Mustang frowned and sat back on his heels. His touch left her and she calmed, staring at him, wide-eyed.

The Colonel cautiously moved toward the nearest bound appendage, cringing slightly at the oozing wounds. The girl flinched every time his gloves so much as brushed her skin as he untied her. In minutes, she was sitting under the table, her knees drawn to her chest. Mustang stayed crouched beside her, but kept his distance.

"You are going to come with me and I am going to take you to the hospital." He left no room for argument, stood, and turned to walk away. Taking two steps, he looked back over his shoulder to see the girl slowly pulling herself off the ground. She shivered, wobbled, and fell. Mustang covered the two steps in one and caught her elbow before she hit the ground. Gently pulling her back to her feet, he watched her wobble again and had her lean on him as he took off his blue coat and wrapped it around her delicate shoulders. She watched him like a hawk and flinched against his chest, but allowed it.

Havoc strolled into the room, but stopped short when he saw the Colonel with a naked girl in his arms. Mustang turned, a hand firmly grasping the girl's upper arm, his coat wrapped tightly around her thin frame. He raised an eyebrow at Havoc's puzzled expression.

"Something wrong?"

"Uh…no, sir. Just came to tell you that Investigations has arrived. Fuery and Breda are looking for a way to light up this hellhole, and Hughes is looking for you."

"All right." Mustang guided the girl through the dark to the outermost door and Havoc trailed idly behind. They soon ran into Hawkeye, who was coming back to look for the Colonel.

Hawkeye walked right up to Mustang, strictly business. "Colonel, Hughes needs…"

"I know." Mustang's tone was clipped. He pulled the girl up to stand in from of him. The girl tried to shrink away from all of the people hurrying around. "Take care of her."

The girl looked over her shoulder at Mustang and glared harshly at him. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and turned back to stare straight ahead.

Hawkeye looked at Mustang and he knew her questions, but his face became a stone wall. She turned her attention to her new charge. "Come with me." The girl obediently followed.

Mustang watched as the frail figure and his First Lieutenant made their way through the dark alley. In a spot of moonlight the girl once again looked back over her shoulder at him. This time, her soulful eyes were not filled with spite, but with an unreadable mix of emotions that sank deep behind his wall.

Hawkeye and the girl disappeared around a corner and Mustang sighed. A hand clapped his shoulder. He turned to face his friend, Maes Hughes.

"You made quite a mess here, Roy."

Mustang's eyebrows danced among his bangs. "Me?"

Hughes's hands panned the landscape. "I can just see it now. Snap, snap…boom, boom…snap…sizzle."

Mustang cringed. "It was nothing like that."

"Really, Roy, sometimes you leave your head behind when it comes to that boy." Hughes grasped Roy's sleeve with one hand and waved the other in the air. "Five bodies, man!"

"Five?" The Colonel's forehead wrinkled. "I can only account for two. And one of them was Hawkeye's."

"Are you sure?"

Mustang shot a "don't-test-me" look. "Positive."

Hughes eyed his friend suspiciously, but backed off, shoving his hands in his coat pockets. "We've got six different samples of blood…" Mustang's eyes hardened "…none of which belong to Ed." The Colonel relaxed.

"I know where that extra sample came from."

Hughes's eyes brightened with interest. "Where?"

"She's on her way to the hospital with Hawkeye."

"So we have a survivor. Good."

Roy smirked. "You really should have accompanied that with an evil laugh."

Grinning, Hughes tried his best. "Mwa ha ha ha…mwa ha ha ha ha!"

Mustang couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, give it up."

Hughes quieted as Fuery approached. "Sir?"

"Yes?" The Investigations officer turned a serious face to the smaller man.

"Sir, we've scattered lamps throughout the premises, but I don't believe it's enough to see, as you put it, the big picture."

Hughes opened his mouth to answer, but Mustang spoke up. "I'm almost positive there's an overhead lighting system."

"Yes, sir, there is. But we can't get any of the fixtures to work."

Mustang frowned and walked over to the doorway leading to the outside. He ran his gloved hands over walls on either side. Finding exactly what he was looking for, he flipped it. The room flooded with light.

"And…let there be light!" Hughes smiled.

"The Colonel smirked. "You just think too…" His voice trailed off as his eyes roamed the newly exposed room.


	8. Chapter Seven

_Sorry it's taking so long…my boss seems to have no problem scheduling a full time student fifty hours a week. Sigh. I know, I know, excuses, excuses. Anyway…enjoy._

The nurse entered the room as the doctors left, carrying a bowl of warm water and a towel. Humming softly, she began to gently bathe the boy in the bed, wiping away splatters of blood that, thankfully, the doctors had confirmed weren't his.

The suit of armor seated in the corner of the room stirred. "Thank you, ma'am."

She jumped a little at the young, metallic voice. "You're welcome." She turned to look at the person she was talking to. "Is this your little brother?"

"No ma'am, Edward is my older brother."

"Edward…" the nurse repeated, gazing back on the troubled face of the fitfully sleeping boy. She remembered the large man who'd carried the boy in. The man in the signature blue military uniform. It clicked in her mind. "You are the Elric brothers." Stories of the brothers' adventures weren't foreign to her ears.

"Yes, ma'am."

Just then, the door opened and several nurses and doctors came in, followed by a girl on a gurney and a blonde woman in another of those blue military coats. The girl was placed in the other bed in the room and the curtain was pulled, blocking their view of the commotion. The younger Elric brother stood.

The nurse wrung out her towel, picked up another one, and began to pat the Full Metal Alchemist dry. "Exciting day today."

XXX

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye watched intently as the nurses settled her charge into a hospital bed and the doctors double checked her vital signs one last time. They all bustled out and Hawkeye spared one last glance at the girl's finally peaceful face before turning to the other side of the room. She slowly pulled back the curtain to see the nurse dressing Edward in a hospital gown and Alphonse standing and looking at her as earnestly as he could. She looked at the nurse. "What is Edward's prognosis?"

The nurse looked up at her. "He has a mild concussion. He should wake up within the next couple hours."

"That's all?"

"As far as I've been told."

Hawkeye's gaze fell upon the sleeping blonde and she squashed the maternal urge to brush his hair from his face and rub his back. "Good."

Alphonse spoke up "That girl…is she okay?"

Coming the rest of the way into the room and closing the curtain behind her, the Lieutenant clasped her hands behind her back. "She is just very, very scared."

"Who is she?"

"I'm not sure. The Colonel found her when he found Edward."

"Oh." Alphonse sat back down and turned his attention to his brother, who stirred slightly.

There was a soft knock at the door. Hawkeye frowned and went to answer it, one hand on the gun at her hip. She opened the door. "Hello, sir."

"Lieutenant."

Hawkeye let Colonel Mustang into the room and Hughes stepped out from behind him. "Fancy meeting you here."

"You can't speak with either of them yet."

"Of course not. I'm just here for a look." Hughes strolled into the room and over to bed, leisurely, as though he were in a park in late afternoon.

"Sir?" Hawkeye looked up at Mustang, all of her questions conveyed in once glance.

Mustang sighed. "There are too many questions. We need to speak with Full Metal and the survivor in order to come to any kind of a conclusion."

"Edward is merely suffering from a concussion and should awaken within a couple of hours."

"Good. And the girl?"

Hawkeye looked sideways at the sleeping figure. "She is under light sedation. She has some sort of a panic attack when the doctors took her. Other than that, and the wounds you've already seen, she is fine."

"When will the sedation wear off?"

"Also within a couple of hours." Hawkeye hesitated a moment, then, "Sir, I don't think…"

Mustang raised a hand, quieting her. "We do what we have to, Lieutenant."

A flash of light came from the other side of the curtain. "Hey, stop that!" Ed's voice was rough, but strong. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Just doing my job."

"Do you have to do it in my face?"

Mustang and Hawkeye crossed to Edward's side of the room just as Hughes face grew serious and he lowered his camera. "I need a photographic record of the evidence for my report."

"What evidence?" Ed's voiced climbed the decibels.

"Calm down, Full Metal." Mustang approached Ed's bed. "Hughes is just being thorough for his report…a habit I wish some of my shorter subordinates would get into." He smirked.

Edward leaped from his bed. "Why, you…"

The Flame Alchemist froze the Full Metal Alchemist with a viselike grip on his shoulder. "What part of calm don't you understand?" Ed scowled but stilled. "Good. Wouldn't want to wake sleeping beauty." His smirk quivered a split second. "Now be a good boy and close your eyes. Let him take one more picture just in case."

"Close my eyes?"

"Just do it." Mustang's voice grew stern.

Hughes raised his camera. "Say cheese."

Edward closed his eyes and grumbled. "You and your damn photographs."

The flash lit up the room and the camera spit out the photo. Ed jumped, ignoring the momentary dizziness, and snatched the photo from Hughes's hand. As the image faded into focus, Edward's eyes grew wide and he almost dropped the photo. He subconsciously lifted his flesh hand to feel his eyelids.

Mustang reached out and trapped Edward's arms behind him, tearing his hands from his face. "Don't be a fool, Full Metal." Edward struggled only halfheartedly. "We don't know what those transmutation circles are supposed to do yet."

Ed stilled and the room became silent. It looked to Mustang like something was finally fully sinking in behind the boy's eyes. When Edward spoke, his voice was barely a whisper.

"He wanted my eyes."


	9. Chapter Eight

The silence in the room was heavy. Mustang's voice was rough when he could finally speak. "Nurse."

"Sir?"

"Find a way to remove those markings."

"Yes, sir." The nurse took the boy's shoulders and guided him back to his bed. He jerked from her hands and sat on the bed. The spark slowly crept back into his golden eyes.

"Don't baby me."

"Sorry." The nurse bowed her head and ducked out of the room in search of stronger soap.

Alphonse stood and dragged his chair to the bedside. Unnoticed until then, he sat as close to his brother as he could and finally spoke up. "Brother, are you okay?"

Ed studied his hands. "Yeah, Al, I'm fine."

Al's voice was serious. "Are you lying to me?"

Ed looked up at his brother and smiled. "I'm just shaken up, that's all."

"Good." Al grabbed the front of Ed's hospital gown and pulled him over until they stared eye to eye. "Don't ever do that to me again."

"Do what?" Ed tried to push Al away, but was unsuccessful.

"We're in this together, Brother. Don't think you can go it alone."

"I didn't!" Ed protested. Al put him down. "I got lost looking for pancakes."

"I'm not stupid, Brother."

"It's true!"

Hawkeye spoke up as Hughes made his way back to the other side of the curtain. "There is a pancake house in that part of the city, but I'm not sure where."

Ed jumped up and immediately sat back down. "See!" He swallowed the sudden nausea.

"You have a concussion, Full Metal," Mustang warned, "Sudden movements are bound to make you dizzy, if not nauseous."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Edward's eyes flashed.

Colonel Roy Mustang put up his best stone wall and pushed forward. "Full Metal, I need a complete report of the events from the moment you left Alphonse to the moment you woke up here."

Edward's eyes left him vulnerable and exposed for a split second. "All of it?"

Mustang fought the urge to soften. "All of it." He looked away. "Hughes will also need to question you for his report."

Ed's wall finally slammed into place. "When can I get out of here?"

"When the doctors clear you."

"Then get them in here. Get me cleared."

Mustang shook his head at the boy, able to face the normal, aggressive, demanding Edward. "Patience…"

The flash of the camera snuck under the curtain separating the halves of the room and almost simultaneously a bone-chilling scream rose up. Everyone moved to go see what was happening. Mustang raised his hand and everyone froze. He slipped past the curtain to the other side of the room.

"_I swear, these stairs are cursed or something." She flipped her head slightly, trying to get her hair out of her face. Her arms were full of books._

"_I think I'm just out of shape." Her friend's breath was labored._

"_It's funny. I can climb the six flights at the dorms just fine, but these two kick my butt."_

_Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her and swung her around. She clung tightly to the body, afraid they might both tumble down the stairs. "You didn't even see me coming, did you?"_

"_I haven't seen you in forever. I'd forgotten what you look like."_

_He put her down and grinned. "You forgot this face?"_

_She broke into a smile, her day suddenly ten times better having seen her favorite person. "I could never forget that face." She patted his cheek._

_He mimicked her. "And I won't forget yours, baby girl."_

_She started back up the stairs and he followed her._

"_You work tonight?"_

_She sighed. "Yeah, I close."_

"_Maybe I'll stop by."_

"_You'd better tip this time."_

"_Only if you show a little leg."_

_She laughed and turned to playfully scold him, but he was gone. Her breath caught in her throat. In his place was a rotting lump of flesh of a man. "Don't worry, my sweet," the horrible voice rasped, "this won't hurt a bit." His trembling hands took hold of her face and there was a blinding flash of light. She finally found her voice to scream, letting herself escape from the nightmarish sight into the inky void of her own mind…_

…_and was immediately pulled to the surface of consciousness by a hand on her shoulder._

The screaming stopped as the girl's eyes snapped open and immediately caught Mustang's hand on her shoulder. The violet orbs grew wide and she leapt from the bed, yanking the I.V. needle out of her hand. An alarm began to sound and footsteps could be heard running down the hall.

"Don't let them in." Mustang kept his voice low. A wide-eyed Hughes recovered himself and nodded, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him

Mustang contemplated how to approach the trembling girl who was closely examining her body. Edward walked up behind the Colonel and whispered, "Let me try." Mustang thought about protesting, but the boy had already slipped past him and was slowly walking around the bed towards the girl.

As Edward stepped closer, the girl looked up at him, recognition in her eyes.

One by one, the remaining people in the room peeked through the curtain to watch the scene unfold.

"We're safe here."

She twisted her fingers into her gown and swallowed, glancing quickly at Mustang. The Colonel's throat tightened. Edward caught her gaze, pushing past his instinctive distrust of the color purple.

"The alchemy here isn't bad." Ed quickly looked around the room and saw a glass of water. He smiled reassuringly at the girl who'd begun to shift nervously. Clapping his hands together first, he took hold of the glass.

The girl shrank away from the sudden blue flash, as choked sound escaping her throat. Mustang tensed, ready to step in.

"Shhh…" Ed placed a hand on the girl's arm and held out the newly transformed glass. A slight smile crept over her lips and her hand twitched to touch the delicate glass rose.

Mustang and Hawkeye stood in awe of the uncharacteristic sensitivity Edward was displaying.

The Full Metal Alchemist took the girl's hand and placed the rose in it. He clenched his fists and his eyes flashed, holding her eyes with his intense gaze. "This is my promise to you. I will never…never let alchemy hurt you again."

Trembling, she put a hand behind his head and pulled him forward. With her lips brushing his ear and her breath warming his cheek, she merely let out a heavy sigh, unable to vocalize her relief.


	10. Chapter Nine

Edward Elric drew from the girl's grasp, suddenly extremely uncomfortable with the intimacy of their position. He could feel everyone's eyes on his back.

Just then, the doctor opened the door, having finally made it through Hughes's stack of family photographs. He was livid. "This is still my hospital and it is still my domain, and I still get to say what is best for my patients." He glared at every person in the room. "Mr. Elric, return to your bed. Shut the curtain behind you. Everyone else…out."

Colonel Mustang bristled about taking orders from another, but filed out with the rest.

The door shut behind them and Mustang turned to Hughes.

"I held him as long as I could. I guess it's time to take more pictures of my beautiful little girl."

Everyone groaned. Mustang spoke up. "I'll get Full Metal cleared as soon as I can so you can talk to him." He looked back at the closed door. "I don't know when you'll be able to talk to the girl. She's pretty unstable."

Alphonse piped up. "She trusts Brother."

Mustang's expression hardened. "They've been through an ordeal together."

"Colonel," Hawkeye broke her silence, "that was very…not Edward."

"Brother can't stand it when people use alchemy to hurt others."

Hughes shook his head. "Damn, I want to know what happened." He sighed. "I've got men hauling the bodies back to headquarters." And, turning to Mustang, "wanna come take a look?"

"Go ahead, I'll be along shortly."

The two men locked eyes. Hughes nodded. "See you later." He turned and walked away.

Without a word, because Colonel Roy Mustang did not have to explain himself, he opened the door and walked back in. The doctor was bent over the girl's bed, but Mustang couldn't tell what he was doing. He cleared his throat and the doctor turned to him. "What is the prognosis?"

The doctor scowled and looked back as his patient. "Physically, she is malnourished and severely anemic. I have her on a nutrient drip. Hopefully soon she can move to solid food. Her wounds are infected, but the infection is being fought effectively by antibiotics."

Mustang's dark eyes followed the doctor's to land on the girl's face. Her violet orbs were wide, and her expression was strained. "How long?"

"At least give me a couple of days." It was obvious they'd had similar discussions.

"How long until we can talk to her?"

"Sir, I don't think she is mentally or emotionally stable, I suggest you let me assign one of our…" The doctor trailed off when he saw Mustang's expression. He sighed. "I don't know why you bother asking me, Colonel. You'll talk to her when you want to and take her when you want to."

Mustang smirked, "Protocol, Doctor."

The doctor sighed again, pulled out a hypodermic needle, and moved to insert it into the girl's IV.

The Colonel's eyes flashed. "What is that?"

"A mild sedative."

"Don't…she has nightmares."

"But…"

"Just don't."

The doctor bristled, turned to Mustang and saluted mockingly. "Aye, aye, sir." He turned sharply on his heels and marched out of the room.

Colonel Mustang had a hard time dealing with doctors—any doctor and every doctor. He couldn't see around the huge lump of guilt standing in his way. Mustang mentally shook himself and turned to the other side of the room. He placed his infamous smirk on his face and snapped the curtain open.

"Hello, Colonel Bastard." Edward sat on his bed, his arms crossed firmly over his chest.

"Hello, Squirt."

Edward's self control wavered, but his mood was mellowed greatly by recent events. He simply scowled. "I heard you negotiating with the doc for her. What about me, am I free?"

"You're never free, Full Metal. Remember, I've got you on a leash like a miniature poodle."

"Who are you calling so small and cute that you'd put bows in their hair and paint their toenails pink!?!"

Mustang looked around the room like he was searching for someone who could have said a thing like that.

Ed sat back down and the blood drained from his face. "Just get me out of here."

"Put your clothes on, Full Metal. Your brother is waiting outside the door with Lieutenant Hawkeye." Mustang purposefully turned his back. "For disliking hospitals so much, you sure do what you can to land yourself here."

"Shut up, Bastard."

Mustang sensed Edward walking past behind his back, but forbid himself from turning around. "Report to headquarters and Lieutenant Colonel Hughes as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir, Colonel, sir." The door slammed and Ed was gone.

"You killed him." Her tone was almost accusing as he threw open the curtain and looked at her. She returned his gaze.

"I did." He took one step to stand firmly on her side of the room but did not approach further.

"With alchemy." It was a statement, not a question. She saw the brief flash of pain pass behind his dark eyes. "Alchemy hurts you."

Mustang was drawn by the girl's open concern, her simple understanding of his pain. "Yes."

"It hurts you when it hurts others." She paused and glanced at the door. "It hurts Full Metal too." She said the name slowly, as though thinking about how if felt in her mouth.

"Alchemy has hurt you." Mustang took a step toward the bed where the girl sat cross-legged, the blanket tangled in her fingers. She looked away, her eyes clouding over.

"That man used alchemy to hurt all of us."

"Us?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. Mustang backed off.

"What should I call you?"

"He called me One." Her eyes stayed downcast.

"What is your name?"

She opened her mouth, but closed it again, twisting the blanket harder. "That is not me anymore."

A heavy silence descended on the room, only to be broken by a sharp knock on the door.

Mustang looked at the girl a moment longer before going to answer.

"Sir," Hawkeye made no move to enter the room.

"Where are the Elrics?"

"Probably just reaching headquarters, sir. Hughes sent word that he needs to talk to you right away."

Mustang tightened his face into a slight smile. "Hughes needs everything right away." He glanced over his shoulder at the girl who'd lain back against the pillow and was gazing intently at him. "Sleep. Be ready to talk when I return."

Hawkeye stepped away from the door. "Shall I escort you, sir?"

"Let's go."


	11. Chapter Ten

Colonel Roy Mustang listened to his boots clicking on the tile floor as he made his way down the long corridor. His feet knew exactly there to go, so his mind roamed. Several minutes of idle thoughts brought him to his destination—a large wooden door with a sign. Authorized Personnel Only. He pushed the door open.

Without so much as a "Hello, again," Hughes took hold of Mustang's arm and brought him to the first table in the room. "This is the first body we found, in the first room." He grasped the sheet covering the body and flipped it off.

Whoever it was, their face was gone, blown off by a bullet through the back of the head. Thin wisps of blonde hair clung to the matted, bloody mess. Mustang's eyes traveled down the body and stopped at the hands. He lifted one and bent to examine it. Hughes spoke up.

"Wooden prosthetics."

There was a hint of surprise on Mustang's face. "Wooden?"

Suddenly, the door swung open and Edward Elric walked in. "I think I'm authorized enough."

Mustang was about to retort, but Hughes stepped in between them. "Glad you're here, Ed. Maybe you have answers to some of my questions."

"Maybe." Edward started to approach the table but stopped short when he saw the dead girl lying on it. He gazed at the body a moment, then went to the next table and threw off the sheet. A strange mix of disgust and compassion settled on his face and grew more intense as he made his way through the room, ripping the sheets from all of the tables. Pausing briefly as he reached the last table, Ed choked back a strangled sound as the last sheet fluttered to the floor.

Hughes approached the boy and laid a gentle hand on his flesh shoulder. "Are you ready to talk?" Edward nodded, then turned to Mustang, his expression hard.

"Request to be assigned to this investigation, Colonel."

"Reasons, Major?" Mustang could play that game.

"I can help…and I want to see this thing through."

"Is that all?"

Edward looked away and swallowed. When he spoke, his voice was rough. "Yes."

Mustang found what he wanted in the tone of Ed's voice. "You could lock away every person to ever abuse alchemy and it won't bring Nina back."

"The guy's dead," Ed retorted, pointing accusingly at the mangled body. "We're not getting anything from him."

Mustang didn't let his stony expression waver. "Point."

Ed forced himself to look at the burnt corpse. "I have a personal vendetta against people who hurt others just for fun."

"The man is dead, Full Metal, what more can you do?"

"I can learn what he thought he was doing and keep others from trying it too."

Mustang was constantly surprised at the maturity of the boy standing in front of him. "Request granted, Major."

"Thank you, Colonel."

Meanwhile, Hughes reached into his pocket and pulled out a small notebook. "Ed, can you tell me how these females died?"

"They were shot in the head."

"We can see that, Shorty."

Hughes say Ed's fists clench. "Roy…" He waited for Ed to calm down before continuing. "Who shot them?"

Images of the girl named Four's face exploding from her head in a shower of blood flashed through Edward's mind and he shuddered in anger. "That sick fucking bastard." He spit the words out as though they hurt his mouth.

"Edward!" Mustang's tone was sharp. Ed became alert to the fact that the Colonel has used his full first name, not in military rebuke, but in fatherly scolding.

"Let's take this one step at a time." Hughes walked the length of the room back to the first table. "As I told Colonel Mustang, this is the first body we found when investigating the scene. We deduced and you confirmed that this person died from a gunshot wound to the head. Did you witness this gunshot?"

"I couldn't see it, the room was dark. But I heard it."

"What, exactly, did you hear?"

"A voice called her Three and told her her job was done. Then, a shot rang out and a body fell to the floor."

"Do you know what her job was?"

"I assume it was to lead me to him."

Mustang broke in. "So you followed her."

Edward became defensive. "Yes."

"Why?"

The Full Metal Alchemist slowly approached the table where Three lay. "She seemed…" he swore he could smell that sweetly tantalizing aroma again, dragging him forward "…suspicious."

"Do you make it a habit to randomly follow girls that seem…suspicious?" Mustang's face slid into a smirk.

Ed tried to lace his words with as much sarcasm as possible. "Yeah, Colonel, I do." The two alchemists stared each other down. Finally, Ed broke eye contact to glace at Hughes. "I got lost looking for the pancake house and noticed I was near the location of my next assignment, so I took a look around."

Hughes knew Mustang was about to make another snide remark, so he spoke up. "So she led you to that…place. And…?"

"And the room was pitch black and he was there." Ed refused to look at his deceased tormenter. "He shot her."

"I wonder why."

"She wasn't needed anymore." The anger was apparent in Edward's voice. "Like an old tool you don't want lying around, he threw her away."

"Is that what happened to the other three?" Hughes gestured to the tables.

Mustang broke in. "Hawkeye shot one. The one called Two."

_He called me One._

Ed nodded slowly. "He offed Four and Five."

Hughes scratched his head. "What's with the numbers?"

The blonde boy sighed, as though reluctant to share the information. "That bastard was brainwashing these girls into thinking they were sacrificing parts of their bodies for a greater cause." He pointed to Three's wooden hands. "The number he called them is the order they made their sacrifice." Edward's eyes grew haunted. "I was supposed to be Seven."

The Investigations Officer was standing over Four, whose feet were constructed much the same way as Three's hands. "So this is..?"

"Four."

"And he took her feet?"

"Yes."

"With alchemy?"

"Yes. A human transmutation."

Colonel Mustang gazed at the twisted, broken body on the last table. The one scorched hand lay next to the stump it belonged to. It was carved to hold a pen. The pen that drew the transmutations circles that almost took Edward's eyes. The same style prosthetics were attached to stumps at the end of his legs. Something clicked in Mustang's mind. "This is the Equivalent Exchange."

Lieutenant Colonel Hughes looked from the younger alchemist to the older and back again. "So let me get this straight. This guy kidnapped girls, took parts of their bodies with alchemy, and paid for the whole shebang with the corresponding parts of his body?"

"As far as we can tell." Mustang was all business.

"How can anyone be willing to go through something like that?"

"He brainwashed them." Ed's hands clenched into fists. "They all believed they were sacrificing themselves for a higher cause."

"What higher cause?"

"I don't know." Edward slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I don't think they knew."

_That man used alchemy to hurt all of us._

"She isn't brainwashed." The words escaped Mustang's mouth before his brain caught up. They were barely a whisper.

"What was that, Roy?" Hughes's attention was caught.

Mustang stood straight and clasped his hands behind his back. "Out little survivor isn't brainwashed."

The other two looked at him blankly.

"She is afraid of alchemy. She knows that alchemy has ruined her life. She has no delusions that alchemy has helped her to make the ultimate sacrifice for some higher cause."

"What did the bastard take from her?"

Mustang looked at Edward in surprise. "You don't know?"

Ed shrugged. "I never actually talked to her. You did. Don't you know?"

"It's a touchy subject with her."

They both looked to Hughes. He reached into his pocket and produced a single photograph. "It's the only one I got." The picture showed the girl's hairline, a faint scar running along it.

"That's nice, Maes," Mustang commented, handing the photograph back, "but it doesn't show anything that might be missing."

Ed snorted. "Unless he took her brain."

The men let the comment slide, unworthy of a reply. Hughes looked at Mustang. "When do you think she'll be ready to talk?"

"Give her a couple of days. Let her get used to her freedom. In the meantime, have Full Metal help you document this mess."

"But…"

Mustang shut Edward up with one look. "You need to learn some organization." With that, he turned sharply on his heel and purposefully strode from the room.

Maes Hughes glanced at the blonde boy. It only took him a moment to make his decision. He cleared his throat and caught Ed's attention. "We didn't take everything from the scene, but my boys did find something that may interest you." Walking to the end of the room, he opened a drawer and produced a leather-bound book. "I know how much you love to study." Hughes tossed the book to Ed. "Study this for me. Let me know what you find."

Edward caught the book and immediately flipped it open to the first page, scanning the meticulously precise handwriting.

…_after weeks of scanning the city, I have located the perfect volunteer to be my Number One. My first objective, now, is to persuade her to join my cause…_

_I have a sort of lemon in mind. Let me know what your opinion is on that…it'll be a few chapters in the future if at all. Like I said, let me know._


	12. Chapter Eleven

She slipped off the bed and wiggled her bare toes on the cool, clean, tile floor. The curtain between the two halves of the room was closed, but sunshine crept underneath, never quite reaching her. He toes itched to feel the bright warm tile. Taking two steps, she soon realized that the tube they'd attached to her hand wasn't going to let her go far. She frowned and folded her legs under her to sit on the floor, shivering as the cold of the tile kissed her ass and crawled up her spine.

The tube in her hand was pulled tight, and her hand began to ache. She looked at it in disgust and shoved it behind her back so she wouldn't have to look at it anymore. The other hand began tracing the lines separating the tiles on the floor and crawled up her leg to finger the hem of her gown. She growled and sat firmly on it.

With a soft click, the doorknob turned and with a low creak the door slowly opened. She held her breath, hoping it wasn't another doctor with poking, prodding fingers. Hoping it was the man with the pained and angry but compassionate and understanding eyes. Footsteps fell on the floor around her. Dark blue pants ending in shiny black shoes stood before her. She dared not look up.

"What are you doing on the floor?"

Mustang looked down at the girl who would not look up at him. She sat cross-legged on the floor, stretching her I.V. to the max, one hand under her, the other behind her, as though she were trying to punish them. He frowned. Squatting, he tried to look her in the eye.

"Look at me."

Startled, she glanced up and was caught by his gaze. He put his hands on his knees and pushed himself back up.

"How is it you always find yourself on the floor?" A half-smile tugged at the corners of Mustang's lips.

She smiled, packing in the cute innocence. "I like it on the floor." She bit her bottom lip.

He raised one eyebrow and cocked his head, then frowned, looking stern.

"Get up."

She stood, all the while watching his face, searching his eyes for a smile. Her smile melted and she looked away, back towards the curtain and the teasing sunlight. "I…wanted to look out the window." She felt like she was sinking quickly. "The sunlight…"

Mustangs frown deepened and he turned away, walking back toward the bed. She sighed and tried to walk in the opposite direction, but the tubing pulled at the needle in her hand. Slowly, though, the pain subsided and the tension loosened. Her arm hung limply by her side and the slack in the tube tickled her bare thigh. Puzzled, she looked back just as the Colonel placed a hand on her shoulder, a smile twinkling in his eyes. His other hand grasped the pole with the I.V. attached to it, and he pulled it along behind him. She flinched a bit at his touch, but slowly relaxed.

"Dee de dee." He chuckled and nodded toward the other side of the room. She smiled slightly and pulled the curtain aside, squinting as the sunlight hit her full in the face. Mustang's hand slid from her shoulder and he motioned for her to take the pole.

Crossing his arms, Mustang leaned against the wall and watched as the girl stepped softly and slowly towards the window, as though she didn't want to waste any of the sunlight. Her dark skin glowed golden in the light as she reached the window and leaned heavily on the sill. How long has the sick man kept her hidden away?

The girl sighed and sat back on the bed. She bowed her head to glare at her fidgeting fingers and her soft blonde hair fell into her face. Growling, she flipped her head hard and stuffed it behind her ears, angry at its presence.

"Are you all right?"

Looking back at him, she smiled sheepishly. "I'm not myself." A tear sparkled at the corner of her eye.

"That's understandable."

She looked away, dolor rising in her cheeks.

He hesitated, wanting to ask so many questions. After a split second debate, he settled on protocol. "Do you have family in town?"

"Yes." The word fell from her mouth reluctantly.

"If you'll give me the address, I'll have Havoc take you home. That's probably the best place for you now. In…"

"I…"

Mustang cut her off with a stern voice. "In a day or two I'll check up on you and we'll talk."

"But…"

"I'll only bring Hughes when you're ready."

"Damnit!" It was the first time she'd raised her voice. "I…" the sudden burst of courage faded. "…I'm not ready to…face them."

He forgot to think and just spoke. "Why not?"

She looked at him with a look of such open desperation that his stomach dropped to his feet and his throat clenched. He swallowed.

"I'll arrange for a place for you to stay until you are." Mustang took his weight off the wall. "Someone will be here to escort you to headquarters." He turned sharply and strode from the room.

She forbid the tears to come, biting her lip. Raising a shaking hand, she buried it in her hair and pulled, taking wispy strands of blonde with her as she wrenched the hand away, welcoming the bloom of pain in her scalp. Inhaling slowly, she calmed her hard breath. She tangled her fingers tightly together to get them to behave, laid back against the pillow that had once cradled the head of the Full Metal Alchemist, closed her eyes, and fervently wished for a dreamless sleep as her exhausted mind was dragged under.

_

* * *

_Edward Elric closed the book and shuddered. His mind still had trouble wrapping itself around the twisted potential of the human race. 

"About done for the day?"

The boy jumped a little, startled, and turned to see Colonel Mustang in the doorway. "No, why?"

"I think you are, Full Metal. Go home and rest."

"Colonel, that girl…she's different from the others."

"In what way?"

Ed spun his chair around, book in hand. "I can't quite put my finger on it just yet." He pointed to the journal. "I'm pretty convinced that girl was Number One."

Mustang frowned. "She was. But why does that matter?"

"From the man's notes, it seems he put a lot more time and effort into cultivating a relationship with her."

Mustang cut him off in a forced casual tone. "On your way home, please stop by the hospital and escort the girl to this location." He held out a small slip of paper. Ed took it. "I arranged to have her stay in one of the empty rooms in the dormitories." He then held out a bag. "And she'll need these."

Edward took the bag and studied the room number printed on the paper in the Colonel's precise handwriting. "Doesn't she…"

"Enjoy your evening, Full Metal. Report to me in the morning." With that, the dark haired man left, leaving the blonde boy behind to stew.


	13. Chapter Twelve

"_Do not cry, my sweet. The life I am working so hard to build for you will be wonderful."_

_She looked away. He reached out and took her chin in his hand and turned her face back towards him._

"_Don't you love me?"_

_She felt like spitting in his face, but resisted the urge and settled on a low, spiteful, "no."_

"_Oh, you will." He stood up straight, his handsome face twisted into an insane smile. "When I am done with you, you will worship the ground I walk on."_

_She couldn't resist any longer. Her saliva hit just below his right eye and began to slide down his cheek. He slowly wiped the moisture from his face and smeared it across hers. Taking her wrist, he lifted it up and snapped it into one of the shackles hanging from the ceiling. After shackling the other wrist, he stood face to face and hip to hip with her, her toes barely brushing the ground. Her arms were spread apart as tight as they would go._

_He brought a hand to her throat, wrapping his fingers around her neck just tight enough to scare her. With his face just millimeters from hers and his hot, sickly sweet breath creeping into her lungs, he stepped forward, taking her with him until her back was pressed roughly against the stone wall. Sighing heavily in her ear, he whispered huskily, "I will make you love me," and smashed his body against her._

_The hand that had been on her throat slid up to her face, covering it completely and barely letting her breathe. His other hand cupped her breast. He clicked his tongue. "Not quite a handful." The voice was eerily cheerful. "Don't worry, my sweet, we'll fix that soon."_

_She bit his hand. He grunted in pain, but only increased his grip. She could feel the hard bulge in his pants pressed against her thigh and she almost gagged. He took his hand from her chest and ripped into her shirt, aggressively attacking a nipple with her teeth. Pain only served to augment the pleasure that rushed through her body. His fingers crawled down her stomach and into her pants and tears of shame filled her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. Her body betrayed her heart as the fingers reached their destination and her back arched in pleasure at the touch._

_She wanted to die…_

Edward entered the room quietly, but stopped short in surprise. The girl was not in her bed. Confused, he quickly scanned the room for a figure huddled in a corner. Soon, though, he became aware of a soft sobbing sound on the other side of the curtain, then a gasp. He warily moved towards the sound.

The girl lay sprawled in the bed he used to occupy, sunshine splashed across her body. Her chest heaved as she gasped and sobbed and writhed, an odd look of pain twisting her face.

Ed turned to fetch a doctor, but stopped and turned back as a low moan escaped the girl's lips. Tears streamed down her face. He stepped closer and reached out his flesh hand, placing it on her shoulder, afraid for her.

She jolted awake and swung at the origin of the touch with her already clenched fist.

Before Ed knew what was happening, the girl's fist smashed into his face. He jumped back from the bed and the flailing arm and brought a hand to his stinging cheek. "What the hell is your problem?"

The girl opened her eyes and they immediately grew wide. Ed was again struck by the deep violet color and cringed. She flinched. "I was dreaming."

Ed softened his anger. "Must have been a bad one."

She nodded and looked away as color flooded her face.

"Well if you're going to be violent when you wake up, I'm going to do with a ten foot pole next time." Ed flashed a smile, hoping to coax one out of the girl as well. She let one creep into her expression until she saw his cheek starting to color.

"I'm sorry."

"For?"

She looked sideways at him and he gingerly touched his tender cheek.

"Don't worry about it." He chuckled. "Al's done worse."

"Al?"

"My little brother." There was a slight pause. "So…it was a vivid dream?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, starting to speak. She stopped and just nodded.

Ed smiled halfway. "I know how that goes." Another pause, slightly longer. "You've seen the gate." It was a statement, not a question."

Her eyes widened in response.

Edward started to say something else, but was interrupted.

"I'm sorry." Neither of them had noticed the nurse entering the room. "Visiting hours are over."

Ed stood straighter. "I'm not visiting. I'm here to take her."

The nurse frowned. "I don't think she's been authorized for release."

"Well, I'm authorizing her release." He hoped he had authority like that.

"You?"

Edward couldn't stand that incredulous look. "Do you know who I am?"

"This ridiculous show is not going to help, kid." She had no idea who this difficult kid was. The nurse she'd just replaced should have warned her about this situation.

The boy's face grew red. "I am not a kid! I am Major Edward Elric, Full Metal Alchemist! Now get the hell outta here and authorize her release!"

Shocked, the nurse took a couple steps back. "I'm sorry, sir." She scrambled out of the room.

"Major Edward Elric, huh?" There was a smile in the girl's voice.

"Uh…yeah."

"Edward Elric…Full Metal Alchemist." She let the smile travel from her voice to her face. "It had a nice ring to it." She extended her hand. "Nice to meet you?"

Ed smiled and took her hand, noticing the slight tremble. "Nice to meet you."

Suddenly, the nurse reappeared. This time, she approached quietly and quickly removed the girl's I.V. Turning to the girl, she spoke. "Dr. Phillips wanted to remind you to keep your wounds clean and dressed. He would like to see you for a checkup in a couple of days."

The girl looked from the nurse to Ed and back again, then nodded. As the nurse left, she examined her hospital gown and gave Ed a worried look.

Ed suddenly remembered the bag Mustang had given him. He handed it over and she pulled out a short skirt and a button-up shirt. Slipping the skirt on under her gown, she tried to pull it down and up at the same time.

"You've got to be kidding me." She was almost pouting.

"Colonel Bastard likes his women skanky." There was a hint of disgust in Ed's voice.

She turned her back to slip off the gown and slip on the shirt. "Then it's a good thing I'm not one of his women isn't it?" She turned back around and grinned, giving the skirt one last good tug.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

The sun dipped between the buildings of the city as she gazed out the window of the small bare room Edward had brought her to. He'd pointed out his room just down the hall before he left her. The small glass rose he'd transmuted for her sat on the table next to the bed. She watched the people hurrying in the gathering twilight and pondered the events of the day.

Twenty-four hours ago, she had just been tied to the table, mentally preparing herself for yet another ordeal. Here she was now, free, with all of that out of her life forever. Now what?

_I'll have Havoc take you home. That's probably the best place for you now._

She closed her eyes against the tears.

XXX

"Brother, what are you doing?" Alphonse sat on his bed, facing Edward.

Ed looked up momentarily. "Studying."

"Does it have to do with…what happened?"

Edward sighed. "Yes."

"Brother, what happened?"

"You mean they didn't tell you?"

"No, they've been treating me like a little kid."

Ed put the book aside and turned out the light beside his bed. "Don't worry about it, Al. It's over now."

"No! Edward, you could've died. I am not a little kid. I have the right to know."

Silence settled over the pair as Edward pondered his little brother in the dark, through the shadows. "You're right." There was another pause as he glanced back at the journal, deciding how much human perverseness to shield Al from.

"Brother?"

"Sorry, Al, I got lost in my thoughts."

"Was it horrible?"

"Yes, it was terrible."

Al shifted on the bead, causing it to creak. "I heard you screaming. Colonel Mustang thought he'd made me stay behind far enough away, but I still heard."

Edward's heart sank. His own, terrified, enraged screams echoed in his ears. "He had me tied down so I couldn't move. My only weapon was my voice." Sigh. "That man did unspeakable things. Shot young girls right in front of me." He'd started speaking and found he could not stop." He…he was brainwashing these girls into giving him parts of their bodies and he took them with alchemy…hand and…feet and…" Ed brought his hands to his chest, but couldn't bring himself to say the word. His hands and voice began to shake. "And I can't even begin to think why. What could he tell them to make them want…" Ed's voice trailed off into the dark.

Al stood and moved to sit beside Ed. He turned the light back on. "So that girl…"

"That girl was a part of it, although I don't know what part she played. He treated her differently from the rest." Ed shuddered. "She was special."

"Special how?"

"I haven't been able to piece that together yet. This guy rambles like a madman. His notes and drawings are chaos."

Al picked up the heavy, leather-bound book and examined it. He traced the gold lettering across the front. "I wonder what this says."

"Me too…I can't help but think it's something really important." Ed frowned. "I wonder who would know."

"Maybe Colonel Mustang knows of someone who can translate."

"Yeah, maybe." Ed's mind wandered away form the conversation. His thoughts traveled over Equivalent Exchange…the pain of having his arm and leg taken from him…other examples he'd read about…organs lost to the gate…_unless he took her brain…_

Edward kicked himself for the earlier comment. She wouldn't be alive if he'd taken her brain. Unless… Ed leaped form the bed and began pulling on his pants.

"Where are you going, Brother?"

"I have to talk to Mustang now."

"I am going with you."

Edward gave his brother a long look, but consented, and the two boys were out the door.

XXX

Colonel Roy Mustang swirled the amber liquid in his glass before taking another sip and setting the glass down. He sighed heavily, supporting his head with one hand and using the other to trace the patterns in the wood grain of his desk. Staring ahead at nothing in particular, he was attempting to convince himself that he thought best alone, in the dark, with a buzz.

There was a big piece of this puzzle they were missing, and with it, this whole mess would fall together. Thoughts of the girl wove in and out of his mind. He felt an overwhelming urge to gather her in his arms and let her cry. Clashing with that urge was wanting to sit her down and rip the truth from her and clear up the fog surrounding the whole situation. Tendrils of another thought snaked through the fog. The thought that brought color to his cheeks and put the miniskirt in the bag of clothes.

Sighing almost violently, Mustang grasped his glass and knocked back the rest of his drink. He shook his head as if to clear the fog and slammed the glass down. What were they missing?

"_He called me One."_ _She was the first. Was she a failure?_

"_I like it on the floor…" I could take you on the…_

"Damnit!" Mustang slammed his fist on the desk and stood, walking to the window.

"_I'm not myself." How? What did that man do to you? What did he take from you that you are so broken?_

A sharp knock on the office door brought the Colonel from his thoughtful reverie. He ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat. "Yes…what is it?" His voice was rough from the alcohol.

"I only half expected to find you here, Bastard."

"Some of us, Full Metal, actually do our jobs." Mustang spoke before turning to face the boy. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Ed fully entered the room, but didn't bother to sit. "I've been thinking…"

"Heaven help us."

"Do you want to here this or not?" Ed growled.

Mustang inclined his head in surrender.

"What if we can't see what he took from her? What if it's on the inside?"

"That's risky business, Full Metal."

"This guy was nuts! He was absolutely obsessed with this mess. I don't think he was going to stop at anything."

"To what end?"

Edward hesitated and looked back at Al, who stood in the doorway, observing the exchange. "I don't know. He writes as though he motive were obvious, like, explaining his actual plan is unnecessary."

Al stepped forward. "Colonel, we were hoping you would know someone who could translate this." He held out the book with the foreign words on the cover.

Mustang saw the words and drew back. "Ishbalan."

The room became eerily quiet. Ed almost hated to break the silence and disturb the already disturbed Colonel. But he had to know. "What does it say?"

"The perfect woman."


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

The small, warm world she had created under the blanket slowly began to get unbearably hot, and she finally dared to crack the wool cocoon and peek out. A large square of sunlight fell across the bed. Frowning, she looked around the bare room and sighed as her eyes fell on the clothes laid across the chair in the corner. She grumbled incoherently as she left the blanket on the bed and pulled on the short skirt and button up shirt, making a point to button every button. As her fingers left her collar, the phone on the wall by the door rang.

Jumping, startled at the sudden clamor, she spun quickly to face the auditory assailant. Trembling, she grasped the receiver.

"Hello?"

"This is Lieutenant Hawkeye. Please report to Colonel Mustang's office as soon as possible." With a click, the sharp voice was gone.

Still trembling, she stood dazed for a moment, then opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

XXX

"Lieutenant, I am going to run a quick errand." Hawkeye glanced up at Mustang as he passed the desk. "If the young woman arrives before I return, have her wait in my office."

"Yes, sir."

The Colonel strode out of the outer office. The truth was, he had no errand. He was restless and jumpy and needed to move, to walk. The implications of his short conversation with the Elric brothers the night before terrified him. Human transmutation of any kind was taboo. To attempt to bring a loved one back from the dead just once brought enough pain and suffering—the young brothers were proof of that. To go back and tamper again and again—to force others into that pain…took a demented individual. It was probably best he was dead. And the girls…

Mustang rounded the corner of the building back to the front and headed toward the door. What would be important in the perfect woman? He'd chosen hair and hands and feet and breasts…but what their little survivor was missing, they could not see. Dear god…cold fear clutched Mustang's heart as he once more approached the outer office…he couldn't have taken…

"Colonel?" Hawkeye's cool tone broke into Mustang's thoughts. "Are you all right, sir?"

Mustang cleared his throat. "Yes, Lieutenant, I'm fine."

They looked at each other a moment. Hawkeye wanted to challenge the man's assertion, citing his paleness and wild-eyed expression, but saw his urgency and consented. "She is in your office, waiting for you." As he turned, she thought of that poor girl tugging on that ridiculously short skirt and muttered under her breath, "Pervert."

The Colonel had to smirk as he entered his office, but stopped short as he caught sight of the girl standing at his window. Silently, so he wouldn't alert her to his presence, he approached her, letting his eyes travel her body, really taking in her beauty for the first time. Long, white-blonde hair fell down her back in sharp contrast with her darker skin, giving her an exotic air. Though extremely thin, she still possessed a full figure, albeit with angles instead of curves. He cleared his throat.

The girl started and spun around. "I'm sorry, I…"

Mustang stepped towards her. "It's a nice view, isn't it?"

She nodded and smiled sadly. "You can see most of the city."

"Can you see your home?"

"No." The smile vanished. "I was looking for the university."

"Were you a student?"

"I was."

"Do you want to go back?"

Her forehead wrinkled as she fought a wave of emotion. "I don't know."

Mustang frowned and motioned toward the couch. "Have a seat."

The girl obeyed, crossing her long legs. Mustang forced himself to look away. He moved to sit at his desk and steepled his hands in front of him, planting his eyes firmly on the girl's face. "What was your area of study?"

"Did you urgently call me over to start a friendly conversation?"

"I urgently called you over here because I need answers. I know this will be painful for you, so I'm easing into the difficult topics."

The girl brought her bare feet up and tucked them underneath her, folding her hands in her lap. "Let's skip the easing."

Mustang felt a flash of anger at the flippant dismissal of his attempt at compassion. "What is your name?"

She looked him straight in the eyes, her face expressionless. "He called me One."

"Would you like me to call you One?"

"If that's what you want."

"I want to call you by your name."

"I have no name."

The Flame Alchemist fought the urge to slam his fists on the desk in frustration and continued calmly. "You have never had a name?"

Her fingers began to weave together. "I had one once."

"Why can't I call you by your name?"

"That name belongs to someone who doesn't exist anymore."

"What do you mean?"

Her voice rose and her hands twisted tightly together. "This body that he created for me is the body of a monster."

Mustang sat back as her words hit him. He stood and approached her. Her hands picked at each other and pulled at her hair. The anguish twisting her face almost caused him to retreat. He dreaded his next question. But he needed to know.

_ Sorry this one is so short. I wrote it months ago, and if I change the chapter breaks now, it will mess up the ones I'm currently writing. New one coming soon. It's all a matter of finding the time to type. Sigh._


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

Colonel Roy Mustang knelt in front of the obviously agitated girl. After only a moment's hesitation, he followed his instincts and took her hands in his own. He wished desperately for something to say to soothe her, but pushed forward instead. "What did he take from you?"

"Take?" Her wild eyes found his. "He took everything. He took everything from me and…and…and gave me these!" She pulled her hands from his and thrust them in his face.

Mustang blanched. "What are you saying?" His brain didn't want to wrap itself around the thought trying to push its way through.

She pushed off of him and scrambled up onto the back of the couch, revealing her tiny bare feet. "And these!" One hand reached up and pulled out a tuft of hair. "And this!"

He stood, moving to grasp her shoulders and steady her violently shaking body.

She shot up, standing triumphantly on the back of the couch for a brief moment. "This body is not mine!" With a small yelp, she toppled, falling back through his reaching fingers and hitting the floor with a dull thud. Her head snapped back and hit the corner of a low table.

"Damnit!" Mustang hissed, moving around the couch to the fallen girl. She tried to stand, but he gently pulled her back down. "Stay still," he commanded. Her breath came in hollow gasps as he placed his hands on her scalp. He pulled his fingers away. "You're bleeding."

She lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry…" and once more tried to stand.

"Shhh…" He motioned for her to stay where she was and moved to open the door. "Lieutenant, can you find me a first aid kit?"

"Is everything all right, sir?"

"Just a little accident. I've got it under control."

Mustang took the small box from Hawkeye and once again knelt before the girl. She flinched as he drew close. He took a hold of her shoulder and shuddered as she twitched.

"I'm trying to help you."

"I…I'm…s…sorry." She shook so violently that she stuttered through chattering teeth.

He pulled her close and pressed gauze to her wound. "Do you think you can stand?"

She nodded almost imperceptively, gathering her legs underneath her.

With one hand cradling the back of her head and one arm around her waist, Mustang helped the girl stand and walk back to the couch.

As soon as the couch was available to land on, she pulled herself from his grasp.

He frowned and handed her the gauze. "Keep pressure on the wound." His voice was stern.

She fought the urge to collapse against the cushions and sat tall, back straight, doing what she was told.

"Can we do it my way now and take it slow?" Mustang softened his expression.

She didn't move, let alone answer.

"What, did you injure your dignity?"

"I have no dignity left to injure."

"If you had no dignity, you wouldn't care how much of you lovely legs hung out of that skirt."

She blushed deeply. "Who says I care?"

"If you didn't care, you wouldn't blush."

"There's a difference between dignity and decency."

"Is there?" Mustang did not understand his need to argue with those he was attracted to.

"Yes." Her eyes flashed.

He felt a warm twinge. Perhaps it was because they were sexier when they were angry. His rational mind scolded him. After a moments pause, he spoke. "What was your area of study at the university?"

The girl bit her lip, but he was determined to out-stubborn her this time.

The clock on the wall ticked off several minutes before the girl's will power began to crumble. She sighed and pulled the gauze from her head.

"Still bleeding?"

She gingerly placed two fingers to the wound and brought them away, shaking her head when she saw that they were clean.

"Good." Mustang stood and once more went to the door. "Lieutenant, would you get me a large bowl of warm water and a towel?"

"Colonel, I…"

"Please, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir."

When Mustang approached, the girl gave him a puzzled look. Balancing the bowl expertly on one hand, he held the other out to her and she took it slowly. He laid the bowl on the desk, at the edge, and motioned for her to have a seat. She obeyed, her expression becoming still more puzzled. He turned the chair and gently pushed her back until her head hovered above the bowl. Leaning close over her, he slowly dunked her head in the bowl, wetting her hair thoroughly.

The girl closed her eyes as the warm water lapped at the edges of her face and her breath escaped her lips in a small gasp and a slow sigh.

Mustang allowed a smile to creep into the corners of his mouth as he ran his fingers through her feather-soft hair. He let them explore the lengths of the locks and back up to her scalp. His touch brushed the wound at the base of her skull and he felt her body tense.

"Hurt?"

She forced herself to relax. "I'm fine."

"Lies." His voice was breathy.

She blushed and opened her eyes. "Okay…a little."

Mustang pulled back and picked up the towel. "Let me take a look." He lifted her hair from the bowl and wrapped it in the towel. Turning the chair so he could stand behind her, he patted her hair dry.

She tried to take the towel away. "I can do it."

"I'm done." He parted her hair and closely examined the long gash. "It's definitely a nasty cut." He left to grab the first aid kit. Taking a small pair of scissors, he snipped the long strands close to the wound out of the way.

She watched the strands fall to the floor and fought the urge to tell him to cut it all off. He began to bandage the cut and she chewed her lip. "Art."

"Art?" Mustang snipped a few more hairs out of the way of the tape he was laying.

"Mainly architecture."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes." The word was slow and sad.

He took her hair from over her shoulders and let it fall down her back. "You can return."

The girl fell silent, her shoulders slightly slumped.

"If it starts bleeding again, tell me. We'll have to get it stitched up."

She nodded and placed her hands on the desk, looking dazedly ahead, as though she'd lost all of her energy.

Mustang left her at his desk and took her spot on the couch, hands behind his head, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles in an exaggerated state of relaxation. His head scolded his heart for trying so hard to make her smile. "Were you studying architecture to practice architecture?"

Her eyes brightened as she slowly nodded, donning an extra serious face and steepling her hands in front of her.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen**

Lieutenant Colonel Hughes sat by himself in the cafeteria, musing over his notes from the investigation. Edward approached and took a seat across the table. Hughes looked up at the boy. "Find anything?"

Ed frowned. "Did you know that Colonel Mustang can read Ishbalan?"

Hughes mirrored Ed's frown. "Yes…why?"

"Can you?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

Ed pointed to the lettering on the front of the book Hughes had given him. "This is Ishbalan for 'The perfect woman.'"

"Dear god." Hughes paled. "That makes sense…but how?"

"I've been reading, and the only way I can figure is if he's got a girl hidden away somewhere with all the body parts he's stolen from everyone else."

Hughes froze for a moment, his eyes widening. "She's not hidden away. She's currently talking to Roy in his office." He spoke slowly as the thought fully sank in.

"You mean he didn't take anything from her, he gave everything to her? That girl?"

"I think so."

Ed fell silent. His mind ran over the events of the past several days and it all fell into place. He made an incoherent noise of excitement and distress mixed together. "But…"

Hughes recovered himself. "I don't know whether to be amazed at the man's ingenuity or disgusted at his perversion."

"I knew that man was a sick bastard." Ed clenched his fists.

"Calm down, Ed, there's nothing we can do about it now."

"What about her? He ruined her life!"

"You'd be surprised how easily a person can bounce back from things like this. The scar will be there forever and there will be times it will hurt like hell, but you have to get up and keep walking. Right?"

Ed caught Hughes looking from his right hand to his left foot and smiled. "Right."

The Investigations officer stood, gathering his files together. "I sure hope Roy writes a good report about the conversation he is having right now."

"Him? Write a report?" Ed laughed.

Hughes chuckled as he began to leave the room. "Give the man more credit, Ed."

Ed watched Hughes leave and then moved towards a different door, this one leading to the shortest way back to the library, where he'd left Al. "Give the man more credit, my ass," he mumbled as he walked down the corridor. Entering the library, he quickly spotted his brother.

Alphonse sat at a table, not quite reading a book. As Edward approached, he looked up.

"Hey, Al, what's bothering you?"

"Huh? Oh…nothing." Al let his gaze drop back to the book.

"Come on, what are you thinking so hard about?" Ed sat down next to the suit of armor harboring his brother's soul.

"Brother…that man wanted your eyes. But every time he took something from one of the girls, he sacrificed that same part…"

"Have you been reading my notes?"

"I'm sorry, Brother, they were lying around…"

"It's fine, Al….remember, we're in this together."

The younger brother sat quietly a while before continuing. "If he took your eyes, and the gate took his, then he wouldn't be able to see his…his perfect woman." Al could barely speak the words.

"I don't know, Al." Ed sighed. "Maybe he was hoping the gate would take something else this time."

"Maybe."

Ed stood. "Cheer up, Al, he didn't get my eyes."

"What about that girl?"

The older boy grinned. "We'll just have to cheer her up too."

"Do you think she'd like to go to the park?"

"I don't know, we'll have to see when Mustang gets done with her."

"She'll need a lot of cheering up then." Al stood, closing his book and giggling at his little joke.

Edward couldn't help but laugh as he led his brother out of the library.

_I know it's not very long...there's another coming up really soon, I promise._


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

"Were you living with your parents?"

"No." She sat back in the desk chair, already preparing herself for a lecture.

"So you lived in the dorms?" Mustang could see the hint of mischief in her eyes.

"I had a room, yes. But it was more like a glorified closet."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off, quick to offer an explanation.

"I worked a lot, and my roommate and I didn't get along."

"You let her have the room?"

"That was easiest."

"Where did you stay?"

"Wherever I crashed."

Mustang enjoyed the fact that the girls was opening up to him and wished he didn't have to direct the conversation down a darker path. "No…significant other?"

She blushed. "Not really."

"No one in the running?"

She blushed deeper and looked away.

"There was."

"Not exactly." Sighing softly, she smiled slightly. "He was the most amazing person I'd ever known." Her mind wandered back to the memory that kept haunting her dreams. "He deserved much better than me."

"Don't say that."

"It's true." She fell silent and gazed past him at nothing.

Mustang let the silence settle over the room for a few long moments. He watched the girl's eyes flicker with emotion. "What are you thinking about?"

She turned slowly to face him fully. "Something I'm sure you'd like to hear."

"All right then, let's hear it." He sat forward.

Licking her lips, she knit her brow. "Between classes, the halls and stairways are very crowded. There was one day I was climbing the stairs and this…guy friends of mine grabbed me from the crowd."

"Does he have a name?"

"Yes."

"But you're not going to use it."

"No."

Mustang frowned as the girl continued.

"We talked a while. The crowd pushed in around us and I lost him." She swallowed. "Then there was a hand on my shoulder and I turned, but it wasn't…" she trailed off.

The Colonel made the connection she was hinting at. "That man took you from campus."

She nodded. "He was…he used to be a very handsome man. Before…" She swallowed again, trying to talk past the lump in her throat. "He had a firm grip on my arm and looked me over like a new car. Then he whispered in my ear and began to lead me away."

"You didn't scream?"

"I was confused and scared. My brain wasn't working, let alone my vocal chords."

He moved to the side of the couch closest to the desk. "What did he say to you?"

She hesitated and closed her eyes. "He told me he was going to give me a beautiful body to match my amazing legs." Her words dripped with disgust. "He told me he'd watched me for weeks and had fallen in love with me." Her voice began to quiver. "He wanted to build a wonderful life for us to live together."

"Dear god."

"He took me back to his house and locked me in a room and I didn't see him for days." The story came gushing from her mouth, not stopping for anything. "When he finally came back, he asked me what I wanted and I told him I wanted to go home. He told me I was home and I began to fight. He…" she paused and pursed her lips. "He left me there for another long time. I lost track of the days."

Mustang could guess the detail she'd left out, but remained quiet as she continued.

"One day he came and held me. Told me he loved me and asked if I loved him. I asked him how he could expect me to. He got angry." She stood and began to pace. "It was weeks before I caught on to his plan. I feel so stupid. He'd say things like 'I think you'd look so much better blonde.' Or he'd…he'd touch…me and say, 'Don't worry, we'll fix that.'" She began to tremble.

Mustang stood and she stopped pacing. He wanted to say something but his mind was blank.

Her eyes widened and glazed. "I re…remember that first time. He came and drew lines around my ankles."

A pained expression passed over Mustang's face. She turned to look him straight in the eyes.

"I met Four that day. She smiled the whole time. That…man sawed my feet off and she grinned at me like we were having the time of our lives. She grinned as he cut off her feet. There…there was blood everywhere…hers and mine…and…and…and she just kept on grinning." The girl began to shake. Mustang stepped towards her, but she raised her hands to stop him. "She wanted him to ruin her life…to take her feet from her and replace them with those wooden…things." Her chest began to heave as she tried to take a deep breath. A trembling hand found her scalp and buried itself in her hair.

Mustang closed the distance between them and grabbed her wrists. He led her back to the couch and sat down with her. She tried to speak, but her voice was lost in the struggle for air.

"She…she just…kept…" Mustang's arms fell around her thin, shaking frame and pulled her against his chest.

"Breathe." His voice was soothing. "Just…breathe." He slowed his breath and willed her to match his pace, holding her tight against him. As she calmed, he whispered softly into her ear. "You're safe here."


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen**

Lieutenant Hawkeye knocked once and waited. After a short pause, she received a gruff, "Come in."

"Sir?"

"Yes?" Mustang leaned casually against his desk and the girl sat at the far end of the couch, twisting her trembling fingers together.

"The Fuhrer would like to see you, sir." She could spot the cringe behind Mustang's mask.

"Thank you, Lieutenant." He turned to the girl. "The boys are outside. I've given Edward the rest of the day off." The girl stood and quietly left the room.

She closed the door behind her and sighed, frowning. Her thoughts swirled and she could not grasp any of them to anchor her. She slowly madder her way through the long corridors of the large building to the front door, squinting as the sunlight hit her face.

"Are you okay?" As her eyes focused, she matched the small boy's voice to the seven foot suit of armor sitting on the steps before her.

"Yes…" she stepped forward, out into the sun. "Just…" she looked around, "…tired."

"Would you like to take a nap?"

"Come on, Al, there'll be plenty of time for sleep later." Edward's voice came from the direction of a tree and he emerges from the shadows of the branches. "She wants to have some fun!" He glanced at her with a strange, almost knowing glint in his eye.

She smiled. "I do have some free time."

The suit of armor stood, towering over the other two. The girl frowned.

"_Why is Edward in the military?"_

"_A means to an end."_

_The colonel did not explain further, and she could tell that it would do her no good to ask. But something still burned in her mind._

"_His brother?"_

"_Ask Edward about that. See if he'll tell you."_

Edward started down the stairs and she and Al followed slowly. She watched the boy closely as he strode in front of her, his hands shoved hastily in his pockets and his red jacket fluttering behind him. The boy led them helter skelter through the streets of the city.

"Brother!" Al called out after a couple minutes of sharp, sudden turns. "This is what got you into trouble in the first place!"

"Calm down, Al, I really know where I'm going this time!"

Al sighed. "I hope so."

The girl chuckled.

Suddenly, Edward came to a stop and she almost ran into him. He grinned. "Are you hungry?"

She frowned slightly, "Well…"

Ed grabbed her hand and led her through the door in front of him.

The lights hung low, covered in red glass and casting a rosy glow. A woman in a pressed white shirt sauntered up to them.

"Three?"

Ed nodded. "Booth please. Corner if you got it."

"I've got it." The woman smiled. "Follow me."

Al let the girl go ahead and brought up the rear. He always felt conspicuous in such public places.

They sat and Ed waved away the menus that the waitress offered. "Two plates of spaghetti, extra bread."

"Brother!"

"Sorry." The blonde turned to the girl. "Do you like spaghetti?"

She nodded, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Good." He looked back at the waitress. "Thank you."

The girl took a sip of the water in front of her and sighed. "I don't have any mo…"

"Don't worry about it." Ed interrupted, "it's on me."

"Are you sure? I'm not…" She stopped at his face. He gave her an almost threatening look.

"It's the least I can do." His eyes grew distant for a moment, but he snapped back as a heaping, streaming plate was placed in front of him. "That's what I like about this place…fast!"

The smell of the food—especially the garlic bread—made the girl nauseous, but she smiled as best she could. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she watched Edward begin to shovel the pasta into his mouth. Not wanting to seem ungrateful, she picked up her fork, but the mere thought of bringing food anywhere near her mouth caused her stomach to lurch and she bit her bottom lip hard.

With nothing better to do, Al watched the girl. He'd seen Edward's mannerless eating a million and a half times. His careful observation caught the green tinge creeping into her caramel complexion. She saw him looking at her and smiled, embarrassed. She then saw his empty place setting and frowned.

"Share with me," she directed gently, scooting closer to the suit of armor. Edward stopped eating.

"He's not hungry."

The girl shifted her gaze from Al to Ed and back again.

Ed continued. 'The silly boy ruined his appetite with ice cream this afternoon."

"I happen to like ice cream better than spaghetti."

"The stuff is frozen milk!"

"It's frozen cream."

What started off as a fake argument staged for her benefit soon became full blown. The girl sat back in the booth and smiled. She noticed that while Edward's face grew redder and his voice grew louder, Alphonse remained calm.

"Perhaps, Brother, if you drank milk, you would grow."

"Who are you calling…"

"Excuse me." She let her voice emerge only loud enough to be heard over the older brother's ranting. "I love milk." The room grew silent. They were, thankfully, the only patrons. She slid out of the booth and stood in front of the quarreling boys. "I haven't grown in years."

"Brother!" Alphonse gasped. "She's only as tall as you!'

Edward's jaw dropped. It took him a moment to recover, but soon a grin spread across his face. "I always told you!" He leapt across the table to stand next to the girl and continued to grin. He smelled strongly of spaghetti sauce and garlic and the girl's stomach did a backflip. She covered her mouth and turned away.

"What's wrong?" Al's voice was full of concern.

"I'm sorry," she squeaked, shrinking in on herself, swallowing hard, trying to control her stomach. "I'm sorry." She quickly headed towards the door of the restaurant, desperately needing fresh air.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

Mustang stood stiffly in front of the Fuhrer, who sat, pleasantly relaxed, at his desk.

"Please sit, Colonel." The Fuhrer had a deep, soothing voice.

Mustang did as he was told and waited for whatever was to come.

The Fuhrer let a couple of minutes pass before he spoke again, letting the Colonel wonder.

The Colonel studied King Bradley's face. The Fuhrer always tried for a "buddy-buddy" relationship with everyone, but Mustang could not bring himself to trust the man. In fact, his first instinct in situations like this was to hide.

"I've heard about an interesting case you have been handling."

"The case is closed," Mustang stated matter-of-factly. "I just have a couple more reports to review and one of my own to write. We will then move on."

"Suspect in custody?"

"The guilty party is dead, sir."

"Ah." The Fuhrer sat back in his chair. "Tell me about what happened."

"Well, sir, we received word that…"

"Really, Colonel, you must agree with me when I say that the girl is the most interesting part of the case."

"How do you know about the girl?" Mustang was alarmed but could not pinpoint why.

"I'm the Fuhrer." Bradley chuckled. "Besides, when you put a female in an all male dormitory, word gets around."

"The girl is fine. We are just waiting to get ahold of her family so she can go home."

"Very good." The Fuhrer stood and Mustang followed suit. "I look forward to reading the reports on this little adventure of yours." They shook hands."

"Certainly, sir."

"All right, Mustang, dismissed."

XXX

Alphonse found the girl huddled on a bench in the park near headquarters, biting her lip and hugging her knees to her chest. He called to his brother and approached her, sliding onto the bench next to her as gently as his body would allow him. "I understand."

The girl looked up into the red glow of Al's eyes.

"It took Brother several weeks to be able to eat normally after…" The boy cut his sentence short as Edward ran up.

"What the hell was that?"

The girl shifted her gaze to the older boy. "After…"

Edward's eyes moved from his brother to the girl and back again. "After what?"

The suit of armor shifted uneasily on the bench. "I was just telling her how you have a hard time eating after a bad thing happens too."

Ed slid onto the bench on the other side of the girl, his flesh shoulder pressing against hers. Hesitating only slightly, she placed a hand on the knees also pressed against hers, puzzling, unflinching, at the cool metal beneath she felt beneath his pants. Gazing steadily, not at his knee, but at her hand, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Who took them from you?"

Edward swallowed and exchanged glances with Alphonse. As Ed opened his mouth to speak, Al broke in.

"We brought this on ourselves."

"No." Ed raised his voice. "It's my fault."

"Brother…"

"I asked for my mother back and they took my limbs and…" The blonde boy's voice cracked. The girl moved her hand to his hand and squeezed, her chest tight. A tense moment passed. Ed continued, regaining the strength in his voice. "They took my brother's body."

"His…" The girl looked up at the suit of armor sharply. She could hardly wrap her mind around what she had just heard. "He's just…" She choked on the words and felt a large hand placed heavily on her shoulder.

"It's okay, really." Al's boyish voice somehow sounded even more hollow and metallic. "I'm getting used to it."

The girl shifted her gaze to Edward and caught the deep pain in his eyes.

"I'm going to fix it," Ed said resolutely. "I'm using the military's resources to find a way to fix it.'

A vision passed before the girl's eyes, a vision of her captor, standing in the bright light as the inky black arms shot out and tore away both of his feet before putting new feet on her own bloody stumps. His agonized cries rang in her ears and she could only imagine Edward, this boy before her, going through the same horrifying ordeal. Because he wanted his mother back. Tears gathered, unbidden, to her eyes and spilled over, running freely down her cheeks.

Edward watched. Through the tears, he caught her eyes and it was different than the expression of horror and pity he found in the eyes of the adults around him. Her eyes reflected his pain as she slid her arms around him.

_I know that not much happens in this one. I guess you could call it a little obligatory angst. I do have this written almost to the end, I just need to get the motivation to type what I've got written. I hope you enjoyed!_


	21. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

Hughes approached the girl from behind, slipping an arm around her shoulders and matching her slow, careful steps as she made her way back to the large dormitory building. She gasped and twitched at his touch. He removed his arm and shoved his hands into the pockets of his long, blue military coat.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced." Hughes stepped ahead of her and turned to block her path. "Have we?" He watched as she shrank back slightly.

"No, we haven't."

"Do you remember me?"

She blushed. "Yes, vaguely."

The scene in the hospital room flashed in Hughes's mind and he cleared his throat. "Yes, well…that was business. I'm officially Chief of Investigations. But, my name is Hughes. Maes Hughes." He put out his hand.

The girl looked at his hand and then at her own for a long moment before completing the handshake.

Hughes puzzled over the girl's silent response. "Don't you have a name?"

She looked away and didn't answer.

"It will be hard for us to find your family if we don't know your name."

"Let them think that I'm dead." She tried to pull her hand away, but he grasped it firmly.

Hughes frowned. "Have you eaten today?"

She opened her mouth, but he didn't give her a chance to answer as he let go of her hand and once again wrapped his arm around her shoulders. His frown turned to a grin.

"Why don't you come with me? I don't know what Gracia is cooking, but I'm sure there'll be plenty." They started walking once more, but Hughes pulled them in a different directions. "I've already invited the boys, and maybe Roy will come if he pulls his thumb from his ass…" Two quiet steps. "…oh you get to meet Elysia! Aren't you excited!?"

XXX

Colonel Roy Mustang tried to stroll down the familiar street, keeping his steps slow and casual. He had debated long and hard about whether or not to accept Hughes's invitation to dinner. He knew the Elrics were already at the house and he tried to keep his relationship with them as professional as possible. But, he also knew that Hughes planned to persuade the girl to join them. And if he knew Hughes, he knew the girl was going to be there.

Mustang made another effort to slow his quickening steps, disgusted as his uncharacteristic eagerness. After a couple more minutes of this internal struggle, and a moment's hesitation, he knocked on the front door of a house he'd visited many times.

"Ah! Roy! Glad to see you!" Hughes pulled Mustang inside and, when he saw Roy's eyes immediately scan the room and land on the thin figure in the corner, grasped his shoulders and pulled him close, whispering, "You should just trust me, I know what's good for you."

"Good god, Maes!" Roy's whisper was harsh. "She's nineteen!"

Hughes pulled back and looked Mustang straight in the eye. "Is that your real objection?"

Mustang scowled and stepped fully into the room, observing its occupants. Hughes fell from his side to find Gracia and ask about the food. Edward laid sprawled on the floor Hughes's baby daughter, Elysia, lying on his chest, both of them grinning, and Al sat nearby. The girl had found a chair in a corner and sat, legs crossed, hands folded tensely, watching the activity around her with a bittersweet expression. He took a step in her direction as Gracia called form the kitchen.

"Food's ready!"

A sudden look of despair passed quickly over the girl's face and concern passed over Mustang's. But they both soon became aware of Edward struggling between the urge to jump up and run towards the food and the awkward instinct to be careful with the baby. A smirk crept to Mustang's lips and the girl stood and almost swooped down on the boy and swept the baby into her arms as Elysia began to cry at Edward's bumbling.

Gracia's motherly instinct led her from the kitchen, arms out, ready to take the crying baby. The girl shook her head slightly, soothing Elysia.

"Go ahead and eat, Mrs. Hughes. I can handle her." Elysia grabbed onto one of the girl's fingers and began to slobber happily on it.

"Are you sure?" The woman searched the girl's eyes and was startled to find fear.

The girl forced a smile. "I'm sure." The smell of the food wafting from the kitchen made her stomach turn. "I had a baby brother."

The use of the past tense stung Mustang as he followed Edward into the dining room, his eyes lingering a moment on the girl swaying in the living room, talking to the baby in a hushed whisper.

As soon as they were seated around the table, Gracia cleared her throat. Now, Maes, you know I don't usually ask about your work. But when you bring your work into my home, I need to know something."

The two men looked at each other like guilty children. Edward, oblivious, shoveled stew in his mouth as though he hadn't eaten in days. Alphonse spoke up.

"We rescued her. Um…they rescued her."

"Yesterday?"

"Yes." Hughes broke in. "I decided to ask her to join us instead of letting her spend the evening alone. Especially after the intense interrogation she was put through." He eyed Mustang.

"What did you rescue her from?"

This time Edward, mouth half full, interrupted Hughes. "Some sicko who was peddling flesh with the gate and trying to create the ultimate sex toy."

Mustang didn't even put forth the effort to scold the boy as a tense silence settled over the room and the realization sank in the Edward was absolutely right.

A soft lullaby in a sad alto drifted in from the living and sent shivers down Mustang's spine as a tear fell from Gracia's eye and Hughes squeezed her hand.

Roy cleared his throat and the surreal haze shattered. "She doesn't take kindly to pity and is in a frail emotional state."

The other adults nodded and dinner proceeded in a constrained fashion, the bittersweet sounds of the girl's voice intertwining with the words of the sparse conversation.


	22. Chapter Twenty One

**Chapter Twenty One**

Mrs. Hughes stood the gather the dishes and Alphonse stood to help. As the two cleared the table, Hughes turned to Edward. "Perhaps if you gave your report to me verbally, I could include it in my report to the Colonel and no one would have to decipher your handwriting." Hughes laughed as Ed scowled and Mustang smirked.

"Don't expect me to pay you overtime for this," the Colonel warned as the two stood.

Ed headed toward Hughes's office and Hughes grinned at Mustang. "I thought he might be more comfortable in a more intimate setting." He emphasized the word "intimate" and then colored slightly as Roy laughed at his unintentional innuendo. He cleared his throat. "You know what I mean."

Roy's smirk fell away as Hughes left the room and walked away down the hall. He stole a glance at the kitchen and knew he was effectively alone. His best friend's words rant in his ears as he stood and took a long look at the doorway to the living room.

_Is that your real objection?_

What the hell was his real objection? He strode purposefully into the living room and stopped as he saw the girl, seated casually on the sofa, the baby cradled carefully against her. His breath caught. He swallowed angrily at the lump in his throat and continued his confident stroll.

Seating himself on the couch, not to close to the girl, Mustang stretched. "Nice house, isn't it?"

"Yes." The girl cleared her throat. "It's cozy." She shifted gently, moving one of Elysia's legs so it wasn't digging in her ribs. The baby wrapped her tiny hand tighter in the girl's shirt and sighed in her sleep.

"I never want to leave here." Mustang sighed contentedly. "Compared to this, my house is huge and cold."

"Perhaps it needs a woman's touch, Colonel." The girl was looking at him with her expression veiled.

"Call me Roy."

"Roy." She spoke as though trying it out to see how it felt. She smiled. "It suits you."

"Does it?" A smiled tugged at the corners of his lips. "Why?"

Her forehead pinched in thought. "Well, it's short and simple, the way you like things to be. To the point. No frivolous syllables." She smiled and he chuckled.

Gracia emerged from the kitchen. "I see Elysia has been a good little girl for you." She smiled warmly. "But it's bath time."

"It's getting late, and I don't want to keep you from your nightly routine." Mustang stood. "Thank you for dinner. As always, it was excellent."

Gracia took the baby and smiled. "You know you're always welcome." The smile disappeared as her eyes landed on the girl as she stood. "You didn't get any food." Her maternal instincts balked at the sharp angles of the girl's frame.

The same fear roe up behind the girl's eyes as she stammered, "It's okay, Mrs. Hughes, I'm not…"

Mustang spoke up. "I'll make sure she eats, Gracia."

The woman scowled from Mustang to the girl and back. "But, Roy, I feel like I've failed."

The girl tentatively placed a hand on Gracia's arm. "I had a wonderful time, Mrs. Hughes, and you have a beautiful daughter."

"Thank you, sweetheart." Gracia watched Mustang gently take the girl's arm to guide her to the door and shot him a warning look. "Have a good night."

Once Gracia shut the door behind them, Mustang let his hand linger on the girl's arm. "Are you okay?"

She sighed and he could feel the exhaustion weighing her down. "That depends on your definition of okay."

"I plan on keeping my promise to Gracia."

She looked up at him, her eyes pleading. He could have sworn the deep violet cried for help. He let his arm fall away and averted his eyes.

"Perhaps once you settle into a normal life, your stomach will settle as well." He cleared his throat and stole a glance at her. She was staring at the stairs before her. "Edward lost a lot of weight when he first joined us."

The girl took a quick breath and let it out slowly and Mustang waited for her to speak. When she didn't, he turned toward the street. "Cant I walk you home?"

He was surprised, but held it back as she slipper her hand through the crook of his arm. She looked at him earnestly. "Please keep the nightmares away."

Mustang didn't answer, but placed a hand over hers as they began the walk back to the dorms. After several minutes, he began to notice that the girl was leaning heavily on him and having trouble walking straight. He chuckled. "Are you sleepy?"

There was no answer as the girl fell, completely dead weight. Mustang held tight to the hand that began to slip away, quickly wrapping an arm around her waist. He lowered her gently to the ground.

"Shit." Placing a hand on her forehead, he looked around. "Shit, shit, shit."


	23. Chatper Twenty Two

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The doctor raged. "If you hadn't taken her away, you wouldn't have had to bring her back!"

Mustang let the doctor rant.

"I wanted to monitor her for a few days to see just how bad her malnourishment was, but no, the military knew better, didn't they?" He stole a glance at the girl, out cold. "It was worse than you thought, wasn't it?" His expression softened as he noticed the way Mustang gazed at the girl. "I was worse than I thought," he confessed.

"How bad is it?" Mustang's voice was rough.

The doctor sighed. "Well…the fact that she collapsed tells us that what I first thought was merely malnutrition has actually reached a crisis point. Her body is in shock from the lack of nutrients." He paused.

"And…"

"And we're currently pumping nutrients into her."

Mustang remained silent, but the doctor knew his next question.

"She should recover, but I will be checking her for other problems we may have missed before."

The dark haired man nodded.

The doctor didn't need to ask Mustang if he was staying. "Keep an eye on her and let me know if she shows signs of waking." He slipped from the room.

Mustang left his chair in the corner of the room to look upon the girl from a distance.

_The girl. He didn't even know her name. And yet…_

_And yet what?_

He felt completely transparent. Hughes knew. The damn doctor knew.

_Knew what?_

Why couldn't he admit anything to himself?

Standing in frustration, he began to pace the room, refusing to look at the still, fragile figure as his wide, circling steps brought him near the bed. His chest grew tight.

_What do you do to me?_

He purposefully turned his eyes to the door.

_I don't even know you._

The pull was too strong. He turned with a jerk and almost collapsed over her, a hand on either side of her head, holding himself above her. "What the hell do you do to me?" His own voice startled him and he jumped, pulling away. Backing up, he settled down into the chair, waited a beat, and dragged the chair to the side of the bed.

Frowning, Mustang placed a hand over the girl's still one, idly rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin. He let his eyes travel from her feather-soft, almost white-blonde hair over the still, troubled expression on her face, down the exposed skin of her thin arm to where their hands met and back again, taking in the little details of this person he could not stop thinking about.

As his gaze passed over the girl's face, the troubled expression changed to pure distress and a whimper escaped her lips. Her fingers curled weakly around his. He placed his other hand over hers and stood. He opened his mouth to call to her, to wake her, but did not know what to say. Within seconds, an alarm began to sound and seconds after that, the doctor burst into the room. He looked sharply at Mustang and the Colonel steadily returned his gaze.

Backing away from the bed, Mustang cleared his throat. "Nightmare." At the sight of the syringe, he grasped the doctor's arm. "I thought we already discussed this." The doctor gave him a skeptical look, but Mustang stayed firm. "Consider me her guardian. She has no one else right now."

They watched as waves of pain rolled over the girl's face.

"What terrible things have you seen?" Mustang wasn't aware that he spoke aloud.

"I could spare her this." The doctor waved the sedative."

"Or push her deeper. Can we wake her?"

"Are you overriding me?"

"No, damnit, I'm asking!"

"If it will calm her. We need to lower her heart rate."

Mustang took a hold of the girl's shoulders, pulled her gently into a sitting position, and wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him. His lips brushed her ear and he whispered, "I'm here."

The girl's arms fell around him and she clung to him. Her voice was hoarse as she whispered back, "Thank you." Tears flowed down her cheeks and fell on his shoulder.


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

_Author's note: I know it's been a while since I've added to this. Long enough, that I don't remember what I've written until I type it. Hee hee. But it's all written...I just have to find the time to type it up and put it on here. This chapter has some alchemy stuff in it that I'm still not too sure about. I left it vague on purpose...because the technical parts are not as important to me as the emotional parts. I hope you enjoy it._

**Chapter Twenty Three**

As soon as the beep of the heart monitor slowed to an acceptable pace, the doctor slipped out of the room.

The girl slowly stopped shuddering and sobbing and Mustang helped her to lie back down. "Where were you?"

She closed her eyes. "I don't know."

"Would it upset you too much to describe it?"

She took a deep breath and looked up at him. 'It was dark, and I couldn't see anything. But I could hear voices, and they were calling to me, their voices hissing. And sticky fingers were grabbing me and pulling on me and I knew that if I didn't fight, something terrible would happen. But if I did fight, it would be just as bad." The tears had begun to flow again.

Mustang was instantly transported to the one time he managed to sit Edward down and get him to talk plainly about his experience with human transmutation and the gate. "How much do you remember about the actual transmutations?"

The girl reached up and wiped her eyes. She took several deep breaths, gazing steadily at Mustang. "Bright light. And something tearing me apart and putting me back together again."

He frowned. "I've never been to the gate."

"The gate?"

"The gate is the keeper of what we call Equivalent Exchange." He saw the mild look of confusion on the girl's face and continued as best he could. "Equivalent Exchange is a concept that alchemists live by. You cannot make something out of nothing. If an alchemist tries…or does not offer enough in exchange, the gate steps in and…well…exacts payment."

"Payment." It was not a question, it was a statement. Mustang could see her mulling something over. The room was silent for several minutes. When the girl finally spoke, her voice was small. "Colonel…"

"Roy."

"Roy." She paused, gazing intently at the older man as though she wanted him to read her question in her eyes. "Why did the gate take…why didn't the gate take my…why did it…" Her frown deepened as she struggled to find the right words.

Mustang understood. He thought for a moment about how to answer. There was a knock at the door. "Come in."

Maes Hughes sauntered into the room. "You two just can't stay out of trouble, can you? Lieutenant Hawkeye is furious."

"Sit down."

Hughes quietly obeyed Mustang's stern command.

Mustang looked back at the girl and once again caught her steady gaze. "Perhaps Hughes can help me."

The girl glanced briefly at the other man and Hughes grew wary.

The Colonel hesitated a moment before taking the girl's hand in his own, placing more personal stock in her than he had any other since the Elric brothers had entered his life. "Your situation is unique. What that madman was doing was what we term human transmutation. Using alchemy to somehow change the human body."

Hughes broke in. "Huge taboo."

Mustang nodded. "It is illegal. That is why the State Alchemists investigate any suspicion of such activities." His thumb resumed its gentle caressing. "Usually, an alchemist who performs human transmutation is trying to bring back someone who has died."

"Like Edward."

The two men looked at each other, surprised.

"I see you've been talking to our favorite little alchemist." Mustang smirked.

Hughes frowned. "I'm surprised he said anything about it."

"Alphonse brought it up." The girl glanced down at her hand in Roy's and blushed slightly.

Mustang briefly considered letting go. "The punishment or payment for human transmutation is almost always exacted from the alchemist performing the transmutation."

The girl continued looking at her hand, thinking hard. Both men watched her intently. "He was an idiot."

Hughes reacted first. "Who?"

Mustang frowned. "Why do you say that?"

"When Edward changed the glass of water, he used the material of the glass, right? It didn't change mass or chemical makeup, just shape."

"That's the general idea of alchemy. We can't create something from nothing."

"So why weren't my…" Her control almost broke at the flash of a memory. Mustang squeezed her hand.

"One theory could be that they weren't actually being used in the transmutation." Mustang fell silent, frowning.

"That's true," Hughes spoke up, "That sicko just threw…them…away." He, too, fell silent as the girl's expression crumbled.

The girl bit her bottom lip and took a deep breath, squeezing Mustang's hand back. "He wasn't trying to create new parts from old ones. He simply used alchemy to attach…"

Mustang nodded, letting her know she didn't have to continue. "If he had been adept at anatomy, he could have possible used the old parts to build new ones more to his specifications." The girl began to tremble. "But this man was extremely unstable, both mentally and emotionally. There was no way he could have even attempted such a thing. He worked obsessively toward his goal in the only way he saw possible."

The girl raised a shaking hand to her hair, entangling her fingers. "Either way, he succeeded." Her voice rose in pitch and she closed her eyes.

Mustang reached up and gently pulled her hand down. He felt an urgent need to say something.

Hughes sat back and watched as his best friend, the most famous womanizer in all of Central, struggled to find the words to comfort this vulnerable girl.

Mustang stood and leaned over the girl, running his fingers slowly through her hair. "It's beautiful."

The girl grasped his hand and yanked it away. "It's not mine." She opened her eyes. "It's Two's." She buried her fingers in the long, blonde strands and pulled hard. "It's not mine…why do I have it?" The look in her eyes turned wild and she pulled again, successfully coming away with a good-sized chunk.

Hughes stood, alarmed. "Roy…"

Mustang grabbed the girl's wrists before either hand could inflict any more damage. "Shhh…" He tried to soothe her.

"I don't want it!" Her voice broke through in a wail. "I don't want it, it's not mine!" The beep of the heart rate monitor came faster and faster.

Roy nodded at his friend and Hughes quickly left the room.

"Not mine…I'm sorry." Tears gathered in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Two, I'm so sorry."

Desperate, the dark-haired man took the girl's face in his hands and forced her to look him in the eye. "Two is dead." His voice was stern. "They are all dead. That is over."

The tears spilled down her cheeks and she shook her head loose. "I don't want it." The words were barely audible as she gathered her knees to her chest and turned away from him. "I'm sorry."

He sat back, afraid to touch her, and willed her to sleep peacefully.


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Mustang conceded and left the room as the doctor checked the girl over. He found Hughes outside, talking to Edward. "Come to join the tea party, pipsqueak?"

Ed growled, but kept his composure. "Lieutenant Hawkeye gets pissed when she doesn't know where you are."

The Colonel raised his hands, almost in surrender. "Here I am. You can tell her I'm fine." He turned to Hughes.

"Wait!" Ed grabbed for Mustang's attention. "What happened?"

"Why, do you have a crush on her, shrimp?"

"Shut up, bastard!"

"Whoa, there." Hughes stepped in. He turned to Ed. "She collapsed due to malnutrition."

"Malnutrition." Ed frowned. "I bought her spaghetti yesterday." Mustang's eyebrows rose. "But she couldn't eat it."

Hughes's eyes lit up. "And she actively avoided dinner last night."

They both looked at the Colonel.

"Ill talk to her about it." Roy glanced at the door to the girl's room, then back at Ed. "Go get Alphonse and keep her company." As Ed spun quickly to leave, he grabbed the boy's arm. "Be gentle."

Ed grinned. "Of course." He ran off down the hall.

Hughes turned to his friend and motioned down the hall. "Let's get a cup of coffee."

Finding a table in a corner of the nearly empty cafeteria of the hospital, the two men sat.

"You know I don't know much about alchemy, but, Roy, I've been having this troubling thought."

"Just one, Maes?"

"Well, no, but this one really bugs me."

"All right."

Hughes sat forward and wrapped both hands around his cup. "Roy, what about this girl's soul?"

A vision of violet eyes flashed in Mustang's mind. "Where are you coming from?"

"We all know how a homunculus is created…"

"The girl is not a homunculus."

"Well, no…no…exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at her, Roy! I'm assuming that freak wanted Ed's eyes to get rid of the at telltale purple shade."

"I was trying to avoid thinking about that." Mustang lowered his gaze to his coffee.

Hughes smiled. "I wish you'd let other people see just how irrational you can be sometimes."

Mustang frowned.

"Look, Roy, doesn't the purple mean something? The homunculi…"

"Homunculi are created with human transmutation is performed."

"And…"

"And you're right, but I cannot figure out how it works."

"And you don't want to."

"No." Mustang sighed. "I don't want to."

* * *

As the two boys entered the hospital room, Alphonse whispered, "Do you think she would like it if I read my book to her?"

"I don't know, Al." Ed shrugged. "We'll see."

The girl sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed, gazing intently at her hands as they tied and untied knots in the sheet. She looked up as the boys approached. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Al's ever-cheerful voice almost caused the girl to smile. He noticed her fidgeting. "Are you okay?"

The girl frowned. "I'd managed to stay out of hospitals for years until this mess."

Ed plopped into the chair that Mustang had left by the side of the bed. "You made quite a mess."

She looked up at him sharply. "I made quite a mess?"

"You're the one that's refusing to eat."

She opened and closed her mouth, unable to form a response.

"Brother!" Al scolded Ed, "We're not supposed to upset her!"

"She upset herself."

"Brother…"

The girl placed a gently hand on Alphonse's arm. "It's okay, Al. I understand." She smiled. "What do you have there?"

Al lifted his book for her to see. "It's a really good story."

"Could you read it to me?"

"Oh yes." Al pulled another chair up to the bed and opened the book. Ed scowled, but listened as Al began to read.

Shortly, a nurse entered the room and approached the girl. "The doctor asked me to change your bandages," she explained apologetically, eyeing Edward.

The girl nodded and held out her wrists. Ed and Al watched unenthusiastically, having been numbed in their journeys, well aware of what shackle wounds looked like.

The nurse slowly began to unwind the gauze and her eyes grew wide as she reached the bare skin. "I need to go get the doctor." She left in a hurry.

Letting the bandages fall away, the girl raised her arms, puzzled. Ed and all both gasped.


	26. Chatper Twenty Five

**Chapter Twenty Five**

"Doctor Unrein to room 361. Doctor Unrein to room 361."

The room number caught Mustang's attention and he stood quickly.

"What's wrong, Roy?" Hughes stood as well, following the Colonel out of the cafeteria and down the hall. "Roy? What is it?"

"That's her!" Roy called back over his shoulder as he burst into the girl's room.

"I knew it!" Ed was raging. "I knew she was one of them." He was standing on his chair and pointing an accusing finger towards the bed in the middle of the room.

"Sit down, Fullmetal," Mustang barked, "and shut up." Hughes and Dr. Unrein followed him into the room. He glanced quickly at the bed and allowed himself a small sigh of relief when he saw the girl sitting there, huddled, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "Alphonse, take your brother out."

"Yes, sir." The younger Elric picked up the screaming blonde boy and carried him out under his arm.

In the meantime, the doctor had reached the girl's bedside and had taken her hands in his, gently examining the tender skin around her wrists. "Colonel, I've never seen anything like this."

Mustang looked down at the girl's arm and bit back a gasp. Hughes peeked over Roy's shoulder and raised his eyebrows.

The doctor shook his head. "Two days ago, I bandaged horribly infected wounds…"

"And now they're gone?" Hughes offered.

Dr. Unrein nodded, eyes wide.

Mustang cleared his throat. "Doctor, I am officially removing you from this case and discharging the girl. Please leave the room."

The doctor stood, speechless, his eyes showing a feeling of betrayal.

"Pack up her records and send them to me at headquarters." Mustang watched as the doctor hastily left the room and then turned to the girl. "Where are your clothes?"

The girl pointed at a chest of drawers in the corner of the room. "Top drawer."

Hughes watched, but kept his mouth shut.

When Mustang approached the girl, she grabbed the clothes from his hands and turned away. "I can do it myself."

Roy stepped back and stood next to Hughes as both purposefully looked away from the dressing girl.

"Just what do you plan on doing with her, Roy?" Hughes whispered.

"I don't know."

As the girl turned back, the men could see her bottom lip tremble. "What's wrong?"

Mustang swallowed. "You're fine."

"Don't lie, Colonel. What's wrong with me?"

The Colonel let the corners of his mouth curl in a wry smile as he grasped her arm and escorted her down the hall and out of the hospital. "Apparently, you are healthier than we thought." They reached a black car and Mustang climbed in back with the girl as Hughes slipped behind the wheel.

"Why was Edward so upset?" The girl sat as far from Mustang as possible as the car began to move.

Hughes piped up. "Ed's sensitive about the color purple."

The girl looked a Mustang, confused. He sighed. "Let me worry about this."

She bit her bottom lip and looked away out the window. Letting several quiet moments pass, when she spoke her voice quivered. "Am I dying?"

Mustang stared at the back of the girl's head and sighed heavily. He heard her take a shaky breath. "In all honesty, right now I'm not sure you can die."

The girl whipped around to look at him, her large eyes wide. "What do you mean by that?" She could see the pain in his eyes and her chest tightened. Laying a hand softly on his knee, she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Mustang's voice was hoarse. "For?"

"You are not where you want to be."

The Colonel hesitated. "It is not my situation I am afraid of." He laid a hand over hers. "It's yours."


	27. Chatper Twenty Six

**Chapter Twenty Six**

The girl let the older man hold her hand and they both fell silent as the car made its way through the city. She kept her burning questions to herself, instead watching the scenery fly by and trying to avoid her reflection in the glass. The car slowed to a stop.

As Mustang helped her out of the car, she looked around and then up at him, confused.

Mustang leaned through the passenger window. "We're going to regroup," he told Hughes, "I'll call you when I know what to do."

Hughes nodded.

The Colonel turned to walk away, but turned back momentarily. "Find Edward and clean up that mess."

Hughes nodded again and watched Mustang take the girl's arm before he drove away.

The girl allowed Mustang to escort her up the steps to the front door facing them. She watched as he fished a key from his pocket. "Is this your…"

"Yes."

"You don't have to…"

"I am."

The door opened and Mustang led the girl inside, closing the door behind them. He didn't flip on any lights, just led the girl through the dark hallway to the living room, motioning for her to sit on the couch. He cleared his throat.

"You have to understand. You are something that no one has ever seen before. If what truly happened to you leaked to the general population, there would be alchemists coming out of the woodwork to get their hands on you." He was grateful the dark hid her expression.

"Please." The girl's voice quivered. "Tell me what is wrong with me."

There was a long, thick pause. Mustang turned his back and leaned heavily on the mantel of the fireplace. "When an alchemist attempts to bring someone back from the dead, a homunculus is created. A false human being that has no soul." Just imagining the fear in the girl's eyes tugged at his heart. He waited a moment before continuing. "These beings cannot be harmed in the normal sense. Any wounds you may inflict on them heal at an alarming rate."

"Like my wrists."

"Yes."

"I…" The girl almost choked on her words. "I haven't died…" The statement was unsure. Mustang flinched.

"No. But that man took you to the gate several times."

"And the gate is taking my humanity?" Anger flared in the girl's voice.

"So it would seem." The Colonel sounded defeated.

She stood. "What if…" She struggled to find words. "What if I…"

Mustang turned and took a step toward her. "What color are your eyes?"

The girl froze and he could imagine the puzzled expression crossing her face. "Green."

After a short pause, Mustang strode out of the room and quickly returned, carrying a hand mirror. He flipped on the light as he re-entered the room. When he held up the mirror, the girl flinched and looked away.

"I don't want to see."

"D you know how beautiful you are?" Mustang did not bring the mirror closer, but he did not take it away.

"I don't care. It's not me."

"Are you going to spend the rest of your life pretending this never happened?"

"Yes, damnit!" Tears spilled down her cheeks and she clenched her hands into fists. "I just want all of this to go away!" Her legs gave away and she collapsed on the couch. "Please…just make it go away." Her voice was pleading.

Mustang backed away. "I can't change what's happened to you anymore than I can give Edward his limbs back or Alphonse his body back. As badly as I want to." He let his arms fall to his side and his posture melted. "And I can't force you to come to terms with this. Although it would be best."

Trembling, with tears still falling, the girl stood and awkwardly approached the man. She hesitated, then took the mirror from his hand and held it in front of his face. "You're so very handsome."

Mustang pulled his gaze from the girl's eyes to his reflection and was shocked to see the tears running down his own cheeks.

The girl smiled sadly. "Your heart is too big." She took a deep breath and slowly turned the mirror. Roy found her hand with his own and tentatively squeezed.

The room was silent. Mustang watched as her eyes grew wide. Her mouth opened and closed several times but words would not come. He was her begin to sway and placed his other hand on her shoulder. She crumpled. He caught her and they sank to the floor together, the silence deafening. Running a hand over her forehead and brushing hair from her face, he silently begged her to breathe.

As the girl's skin took on a blue tinge, Mustang gathered her in his arms and instinctively placed his lips over hers, forcing his breath into her lungs. She grasped his arm and gasped, shaking violently. He pulled her closer and she buried her face in his coat, sobs wracking her thin frame and finally breaking the silence.

* * *

"Sit down, Edward." Hughes' voice was sterner than usual and the blonde boy obeyed.

"Mustang send you to do his dirty work?"

"You of all people, Ed, should know I do my own dirty work." Hughes leaned back in his chair. "Are you calm now?"

"You must be taking lessons from the Colonel Bastard."

"I just want you to realize how childish you're being."

"Childish?

"Childish. Do you think that girl knows what a homunculus is?"

"But her eyes…"

"There is something strange here, yes. But give her the benefit of the doubt."

Edward fell silent and Hughes watched him think. After several minutes, he slowly began to speak. "Those girls had purple eyes."

"What girls?" Hughes was confused.

"And they died."

The light bulb blinked on. "That's true."

"But her wrists!"

"Give her the benefit of the doubt."

Ed looked at him skeptically.

Hughes grinned. "If she goes nuts and tried to kill you, we'll protect you."

Edward scowled. "I can protect myself."


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

The sobs had stilled and the girl's breathing evened. Mustang loosened his grip slightly to look down on her. She tightened her grip on his coat. He smiled and shifted so he could pull his legs out from underneath him and stand. Using his elbow to flip the lights back off, he slowly made his way down the hall, making a right turn into the guest bedroom. He hesitated a moment before laying her gently on the bed. Her hand still clutched the lapel of his coat, so he carefully slipped out of it and laid it over her.

After quietly leaving the room and pulling the door shut, Mustang made his way to the kitchen. He poured himself a drink and settled down on one of the tall stools at the counter, picking up the phone.

"Maes, tell Riza I'm staying home for the rest of the afternoon."

"Will do, Roy, anything I can do to help?"

"Edward?"

"Just fine. Those homunculi really spook him, don't they?"

"Hell, Maes, they spook me."

"I hear ya. Listen, if you need anything…"

"I'll call. Thanks."

* * *

A large crash startled Roy Mustang from his troubled sleep and he leapt from the chair he'd been sprawled in. The bed in front of him appeared as though no one had laid in it. His coat was folded neatly and placed in the middle. Buttoning up his shirt and grabbing a glove just in case, he softly crept down the hall. There was a light on in his kitchen. Roy smiled and shoved the glove in his pocket.

"Hungry?" He let his voice reach her before he stepped into view. The frying pan clattered to the wooden floor again and he chuckled. "I'm sorry I scared you."

The girl slowly stood and gently set the pan on the counter. "I thought you might be hungry."

"Oh yeah?"

"Maybe." She stood straighter.

Mustang stepped fully into the kitchen and leaned against a counter, eyeballing the items set out on the counter.

"I'm pretty good at scrambling eggs."

"Well then," Roy stepped around the girl and slid onto a stool facing her, "I guess I'll have to try them."

She smiled slightly before setting to work. Gently moving the eggs around the frying pan with a spatula, the girl frowned, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I think…" She took a deep breath as Mustang watched intently. "I think I want to go home."

Roy's eyes showed concern. "Are you sure?"

Letting the air out slowly, she nodded. "I haven't seen my mother in…in months and I…" her voice caught in her throat, "…I'm lucky to have her." She wiped at the tears forming in her eyes. "I miss her."

He had to clear his throat before speaking. "When will you be leaving?"

"As soon as possible."

Her words cut through him and his hands grew cold as he felt opportunity slipping through his fingers.

"I can't have any time to talk myself out of this."

"I see." He watched her scrape the eggs from the pan to a plate.

She set the plate down in front of him. "Something to drink?"

Picking up the fork, he raised an eyebrow. "Isn't this my house?"

She blushed.

"There's some orange juice in there if you'll poor yourself some."

He'd already taken several bites when she set the two glasses down and slid onto the stool nest to him.

"Thanks."

She took a sip of the juice. "Will you go with me?"

He set down the fork and looked up at her. "If you want me to."

Nodding, she blushed again. "I'm afraid I'm rather weak."

Mustang frowned. "No." He shook his head. "You are far from weak."

Her hand shaking, she set the glass down as he continued earnestly.

"What you have survived over an over has broken many a strong man after only once."

She intertwined her fingers and shoved them under the counter. "I think I'm broken."

Roy pushed his plate away and turned to the girl, gently grasping her shoulder. "Not so broken that you cannot be fixed."

"Are you sure?"

He gazed at her intently. "Yes."

She frowned. "Your eggs are getting cold."

He smiled. "They're still wonderful."

"Are they really?"

He nodded sincerely.

She watched him eat and smiled.

After several seconds, he looked up at her. "What?"

"Just looking at you."

"Why?"

She smirked. "You're a little more interesting then your furniture."

Mustang chuckled. "Only a little?"

She spun on the stool and leaned back against the counter. "You do have some pretty interesting furniture here, Colonel."

He turned away from his empty plate and tried to look where she was looking. "Is interesting bad?"

Laughing at his puzzled expression, she placed a soft hand on his knee. "You have a beautiful house, Roy." She looked around slowly. "I can't imagine actually living here." She sighed. "Must be nice."

Mustang tried not to focus on the pleasant warmth covering his knee. "It is. Quiet." His eyes did not leave hers. "Sometimes too quiet."

"You need some kids to run around after."

"Ha. And where would I get kids?"

"There's a fine establishment over by the university. Girls go in there and some months later, I think the babies come in the mail."

It took him a couple of seconds to realize she was joking. She stood and took his plate and the two glasses to the sink as he chuckled to himself. He saw her turn on the hot water and also stood. "Those are definitely my dishes."

She did not turn. "I made them dirty."

He stepped toward her. "So you cooked…I can wash."

She glanced at him. "I can wash…you can dry."

He grabbed a towel. "I suppose I can live with that."


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

The air in the room was still hot and heavy, and steam still clung to the mirror. Avoiding the cloudy glass, her eyes travelled over the rest of the room. She stood uncertainly in the middle, her fingers slowly tracing the swirls of the marble on the counter. A damp towel hung on a hook on the door, but a crisp, dry one hung on the bar by the shower.

Shaking fingers managed to unbutton her shirt and she let it slip from her shoulders, catching it before it touched the rug. She stepped out of the skirt and laid the clothes neatly on the counter. Breathing deeply to try to control her trembling, her senses filled with the warm, musky smell that crept from every crevice.

Finally, her gaze landed on the faucet in the shower and she turned it, ducking as the water shot out. She turned it all the way to hot and stepped in, shuddering as the burning needles pricked every inch of her body. Closing her eyes, she imagined the water to be knives, slowly peeling off the skin that was not hers.

Already dressed in his uniform, Mustang sat stiffly in the chair facing the bed in the guest room, listening to the water pound. The steam had stopped pouring into the hallway several minutes ago. A small twinge of fear began to rise in the back of his mind. His hands gripped the arms of the chair tightly as he tried to decide whether or not to disturb the girl. The water stopped, the curtain was pulled back, and he breathed. He grabbed the clothing off the bed and approached the bathroom door, knocking sharply. The face that peeked through the crack was pale, her lips almost matching the shade of her eyes. Forcing the concern from his expression, he smirked. "Did I use all the hot water?"

"No, I did." She started to shut the door. "I'm not ready yet."

"Wait."

The crack widened.

Mustang held out the clothes. "Lieutenant Hawkeye brought these for you."

She frowned, but took them, and shut the door.

Roy resumed his post in the guest room and several minutes later, the girl emerged from the bathroom, crisp white shirt and tan slacks settled comfortably over her thin frame. He caught sight of her and couldn't help but smile. "You look…stunning."

She smirked. "I don't look like a slut anymore." The blank expression on his face caused her to chuckle. "Never mind."

"Are you ready?"

Her smile faded and her voice grew small. "I suppose so."

"Things will be fine." He resisted the urge to pull her into an embrace. "Your mother will be so happy to see you."

"I hope you're right."

He stood straighter ad scowled. "Of course I'm right. Let's go."

The warm sun on her face failed to melt the cold dread in her chest. She was struck by the brilliant blue of the sky the moment she followed Mustang out of the house, but she almost wished for rain. "The worst kind of funeral is one that takes place on a sunny day."

"Don't be so morbid." Mustang almost growled.

She recoiled. "Sorry."

She stopped when they got to the street and glanced around. Looking doubtful, she frowned.

"Are you lost?"

She blushed deeply. "I have never been in this part of the city before."

"Can you find your way from the university?"

"Yes." She looked at her feet.

"Look at me," Mustang ordered sharply.

She slowly raised her eyes to meet his.

"Stop acting like you are about to be slaughtered." His gaze burned.

Her eyes widened. "It could be bad."

"I'm taking you back to your family. It will be a happy occasion."

"Promise?"

"I can't promise something that I have no control over."

Her eyes clouded and she looked away.

Roy frowned and cupped her chin bringing her gaze back to him. "I don't know why you're so worried." Her fear radiated in cold waves against him. "I can't imagine a mother who wouldn't want their child back."

She paced a hand over his, "okay," and gently pulled away. "Let's go."

He turned and strode purposefully down the sidewalk towards the center of the city. She had to trot at first to keep up. After several minutes, the campus loomed ahead of them, swarming with students. He stopped suddenly. "Now where?"

She swallowed hard and looked around, no longer lost. "The street is on the other side."

"All right."

At the sight of the small, blue house, the girl's arms went numb and her legs grew weak.

Mustang drew close. "It's a nice little house."

"Yes."

He felt her begin to tremble and led her up the stairs. "I'll explain the situation if you'll wait outside."

She nodded slowly and sat on the porch swing as though in a daze.

Turning to face the door, Mustang paused a moment before knocking sharply.

A small woman with graying brown hair came to the door eyeing the man suspiciously.

Before she could tell him off, Mustang spoke. "Pardon me, ma'am, but I must speak with you."

"Oh, so now the military wishes to deal with me."

"Ma'am, I apologize for any prior behavior of the military, but we need to speak about something of great importance." He glanced over his shoulder at the girl, looking back at him, wide-eyed. "Can we speak inside?"

The woman relented and allowed Mustang to step inside. She motioned towards the couch and they both sat. She looked at him expectantly.

Mustang glanced quickly around the room and his eyes landed on a framed photograph on the side table of a smiling young girl with clear, green eyes and long, black curls. He reached out and brushed the glass with his fingertips. "Is this your daughter?"

The woman swallowed. "Yes."

"She's beautiful."

"Yes, she was." She tried very hard to stay detached.

"Your daughter still is very beautiful."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you saying?"

Mustang leaned forward and clasped his hands. "We've found your daughter, ma'am, and she wants to come home."

"Where is she?"

"She's outside, but…"

The woman stood and rushed for the door. Mustang tried to block her, but she shoved him aside. He caught her by the arm.

"Wait, I must tell you…"

"I don't care! I want to see my Alli!" The woman pulled from his grasp and burst through the door.

Mustang followed closely, his heart pounding, hoping for the best but fearing the worst. He watched as the woman blindly took the girl in her arms, vaguely aware that dark clouds had rolled over the sun.

A sharp clap of thunder rattled the windows in the house as the woman stiffened and pulled away, running her fingers through the girl's hair. Her voice was low and menacing. "You are not my daughter." She stepped back, disgusted, and whirled to face Mustang. "Is this a joke?" Her eyes became wild. "You're a sick man."

"Ma'am, listen to me."

"No. Don't speak to me anymore." She pushed past him.

"Please, give her a chance. She's been through a terrible ordeal." He resisted the urge to look at the girl.

"I don't care!" The woman began to shut the door. As Mustang put a hand on the doorknob, she growled, "My heart's already been broken. I can't take anymore." She slammed the door shut.

Mustang bit his furious tongue and turned, searching for the girl. His gaze found her thin figure weaving down the street several feet away. He approached slowly. As he came close, she reached out and grabbed a hold of his jacket, sinking to her knees. Large drops of rain splashed on the sidewalk around her. Mustang was dragged to his knees by her grip. Her eyes on the now wet cement, she took several deep breaths, pulling the chilled air harshly into her lungs. He untangled her fingers from the thick blue material and took both her hands in his, wanting to still her trembling. "Alli?"

A tortured scream ripped from her throat. She tore her hands from his and brought them, shaking, to her hair, entangling her fingers in the pale strands.

Mustang balled his hands into fists and slammed them down on the cement, letting his frustration escape his lips in a low growl, rivulets of rain running down his cheeks. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw thick locks of hair coming free in her hands and he caught her wrists.

Kneeling on the sidewalk in the pouring rain, the man and the girl silently locked eyes. He again clasped her hands in his and she melted against him.

Roy Mustang jumped at the touch of a hand on his shoulder.

"Pardon me, sir, but do you need help?"

"No." He barely looked up into the gentleman's face. "No, we'll be okay."

"Are you sure?"

The girl clung to Mustang as he helped her stand. "Yes. She was just feeling faint. We're fine, now."

The gentleman shrugged and strolled away.

The girl kept her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry."

"Damnit!" Mustang gripped her hands tighter. "Stop apologizing!" He tried to catch her eyes, but she refused to meet his gaze. His expression softened. "Let's get out of the rain."


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes speaking."

"Maes."

"Roy! Good to hear from you! How did things go?"

"Terrible."

"What happened?"

"Listen, Maes, I need a favor."

"What do you need?"

Mustang gave his friend the address of the quaint blue house. "Give me any information you can find."

"Yes, sir, Colonel, sir."

Mustang hung up and turned to face the girl, but she was gone. Wet footprints led him back to the front hallway. He caught he heading for the front door, but did not stop her, realizing he could not truly keep her there. She placed a hand flat against the cool wood of the door and hesitated for a long moment. She turned and began to walk back down the hall towards him and he held his breath.

After watching the girl pace for several minutes, Mustang left and returned with a towel. As she approached him once more, he cleared his throat. She glanced up sharply, and then looked away, turning quickly on her heels to continue her walk and slipping on the wet wood floor. Mustang stepped forward as she fell backward and enveloped her with the towel in his arms.

She gained her footing and took the towel from him, immediately bending down and drying the floor.

He squatted next to her. "I've got this." He motioned back down the hall. "Go change."

She blushed. "I was hoping to air dry."

"Why is that?"

"I've caused enough trouble already."

"Nonsense."

She looked away.

He cupped her chin and looked her in the eyes. "Trust me."

Her gaze softened and she chewed her bottom lip.

"Go ahead. There are dry clothes on the counter in the bathroom."

* * *

As the girl entered the kitchen, Mustang turned away from the refrigerator. "Would you like a drink?"

"Sure." She watched as he opened the freezer and peeked inside.

"What would you like?"

She sat on a nearby stool. "What do you have?"

He looked back over his shoulder sheepishly. "Whatever you want."

"A white Russian?"

He frowned. "Okay, sorry. I don't have any milk."

She smiled and leaned on her elbows, her hands on her cheeks. "I suppose a black Russian will do."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm tough."

Chuckling, he began to mix her drink. As he turned back to face her, she stood.

"I'm sorry, I took your seat."

He handed her the newly filled glass. "Don't worry about it."

"No, really, sit down." She stepped away from the stool and gave him a look that was so insistent that he sat. Careful with her drink, she sank to sit cross-legged on the floor.

Several minutes passed in silence as each sipped their own drink. Mustang tried not to watch as she ran her fingers through her hair, seemingly lost in thought. She caught him looking at her and blushed, lowering her hand. He frowned slightly, then stood and mimicked her earlier action, sitting on the floor, facing her. "I don't like having to look down on you."

"I'm sorry." Her eyes would not meet his.

He sighed and prepared to turn this circle once more. "For?"

"For that disgusting bout of childishness." She looked up, gauging his reaction.

He tried to smile reassuringly. "You're entitled."

The pair fell into silence for several more minutes before she leaned close. "What are you thinking about?"

He had a hard time thinking at all with her so close. "Nothing in particular. You?"

A smile crept into the corners of her mouth and she blushed again. "I was thinking…"

"Yes…?"

She lowered her gaze. "I was thinking about clouds."

He reached out and tilted her chin up, looking her in the eyes. "Clouds?"

Her gaze took on a look of intense longing. "I have always wanted to touch a cloud." She licked her lips. "I think it would be like touching happiness."

Mustang's brain told his heart that what it was planning to do was a bad idea, but his heart didn't listen. He slid his hand from her chin, around her ear, and buried it in her hair, half-expecting to have to apologize hastily as she jerked away.

The girl took and deep breath and, carefully setting her glass on the hardwood floor, let it out slowly, snuggling close. "You smell nice."

"Thank you." Mustang also set aside his drink, gently placing his now free hand on her waist, pulling her into his lap. Ghosting his fingers over the angles of her face, he took a moment to study her. Her eyes followed his as she buried her hands in his shirt.

Closing his eyes, Mustang timidly brushed his lips over hers and felt the goose bumps rise on the back of her neck. The girl sighed, her breath hot as it mingled with his.

"I will help you touch a cloud, someday." His voice was deep and husky. "I promise." She leaned into him as he placed soft kisses down behind her ear and around her neck. Shivers ran down her back and he grasped her tightly, pressing his lips firmly against hers. As she parted her lips to his tongue, she was overwhelmed by the sense of him all around her—the stiff material of his uniform cradling her, the smell of soap and smoke lacing every breath, his sweet taste flooding her mouth as he kissed her hungrily.

Mustang lifted the girl effortlessly. She clung to him, not letting their lips part, safely wrapped in him, and didn't let him lay her on the bed without him coming with her. As his weight pressed against her, she could feel the arousal emanating from his body in hot waves. He pulled back slightly, and a small cry of distress escaped her lips. His voice was barely a whisper as he caught her eyes. "I want you."

She returned his intense gaze. "Here I am."

He sighed as though a large burden had been lifted from his shoulders. His kissed her gently on the forehead.

She kissed him on the nose and smiled playfully.

His expression remained solemn. "I want you." He placed a kiss on the hollow of her throat. "And I need you."

She brushed her lips over his. "Need?"

He moaned and ground his hips against hers. "Oh god." He buried his face in her shoulder. "Yes."

The girl began to tremble. She fingered the tousled strands of his hair, breathing deeply. He leaned in, took a chance, and bit the sensitive flesh below her collarbone. She cried out, arching her back. Tears sprang to her eyes. "Not fair."

Mustang looked up at her from under his dark lashes and grinned evilly. "You liked it."

She pouted. "So?"

"So do you like this?" He lowered his head once more and sank his teeth into the juncture between her neck and shoulder.

"Oh!" Her hips began to buck and her grip on his hair tightened, pulling. "Fuck!"

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh really." He chuckled. "Well, you're a kinky little think, aren't you?"

She rolled her eyes at him, panting. Shoving him off of her, she slid off the bed, turned, and pushed him down onto his back.


	31. Chapter Thirty

**Chapter Thirty**

Mustang's even breathing was hot against the back of her neck as his body relaxed around her. She smiled and slowly turned in his arms, resting her eyes on his face. Placing a gentle kiss amongst his tousled bangs, she slipped quietly from his grasp and slid off the bed. Her gaze lingered on his still form. "Please find peace."

* * *

The night air was cool against her flushed cheeks as she closed the front door behind her. She turned toward what she thought was the correct direction and took off, walking briskly toward headquarters and the dorms. Her path meandered because she was unfamiliar with this part of the city, but soon the stark buildings came into view. On the steps leading to the dormitory, she spotted a large suit of armor sitting hunched.

"Al?"

He looked up, startled out of his reverie. "Oh, hello."

She sat next to him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." His voice was cheerful. "I just…can't sleep."

"Me neither." She frowned. "I'm sorry about…about earlier."

"No. Don't apologize. Brother was being unreasonable."

"Will you let him know that I mean no harm?"

Alphonse started to argue again, but stopped at the earnest look in the girl's eyes. "I will."

The girl stood and she could still almost look the boy in the eye. "There is something in my room. Do you think I could get it?"

"Sure." Al stood. "I'll go with you."

She smiled. "Thanks."

As the large suit of armor walked beside her through the dark halls, the girl felt the urge to take one of the leather gauntlets in her hand, musing over the fact that of the two of them, it felt as though he, the boy, were protecting her. Tears gathered in her eyes and she reached up and grasped his hand.

Pushing the door gently open, she carefully stepped inside the room, half-expecting her one personal item to have already been cleared out. She'd heard storied of the military's efficiency. Her eyes landed on the small table next to the bed and she smiled.

"Here you are, Al."

Alphonse turned to face his brother. "You were looking for me?"

Edward put his hands on his hips and scowled. "Usually, if I wake up to an empty room, something bad is about to happen."

"I'm sorry, Brother, I don't mean to worry you."

"It's okay, Al, I know." Edward smiled and then frowned. "Isn't this…?"

The girl, having grabbed what she came fore, was heading back towards Al and the door. "I asked him to come with me." She stood so she could see Ed. "I'm afraid of the dark." In her hands, she held the delicate glass rose.

"Did the Colonel Bastard finally let you out?"

"Brother!"

"He's not keeping me." The girl looked at her toes. "I…I'm going home."

Al put a hand on her shoulder. "That's wonderful!"

She bit her lip. "Yeah, it is. I should go."

"Good luck." Al's voice was warm.

"Thanks."

As the girl slipped past him, Ed cleared his throat. She looked back at him as he spoke. "See you around?"

The corner of her mouth twitched into a half-smile. "Maybe." Then she was around the corner and out of sight.

* * *

Hughes walked into the office to find his best friend sitting at the desk, freshly shaven, and his uniform clean and crisp. The look on Mustang's face dared anyone to try to find something amiss as he casually signed his name across the forms in front of him. "Bad night?"

Mustang only granted him a scowl. Silence prevailed in the room for several minutes as Hughes flopped down on the couch to wait for Mustang to give up and speak.

"She left in the middle of the night." Roy didn't look up from the report sprawled over his desk.

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know."

"What did she say?"

_ Please find peace._

"Nothing."

Hughes sat forward on the couch, his eyes waiting to meet Roy's. "You let her go?"

Mustang laid his pen gently on the desk and brought his hands together, steepling them before him. He took a deep breath. The sound of his fists hitting the desk would have startled anyone not expecting it. He let the breath out and raised his gaze to his friend. "What did I have to offer her?"

All Hughes could do was sit back and try not to look judgmental. "Someday, Roy, we will stop having these conversations every 'morning after.'"

Picking his pen back up, Roy returned his attention to his work. "If you say so."

Hughes thought for a moment about continuing, but Mustang had heard the speech about his positive qualities and everything he had to offer dozens of times. Once again, he fell silent, contemplating.

"You know," Hughes couldn't help but voice his thought, "as twisted as that man's plan was, it worked. The girl was beautiful."

"She was beautiful to begin with." Mustang remembered the photo of the girl in her mother's living room.

"Still, can you imagine that face wearing Ed's eyes?"

The image that presented itself to Mustang's mind was compelling, but rationality pushed it away. "I don't want to think about that, Maes."

"Understandable." Hughes stood. "My friend, you look like you could use a good lunch. Let's sneak out early and head over to that little restaurant we discovered last week. What do you say?"

Roy allowed a smile to creep into his lips. "All right, just let me finish this last form." He watched Hughes saunter to the outer office to secure safe passage past Hawkeye. As he slipped the finished form into its folder, his eyes landed on the leather bound book at the corner of his desk.

_The Perfect Woman._

He slammed a stone wall around the twinge of pain that shot through his chest and shoved the book off the desk into the wastebasket before exiting his office and shutting the door behind him with an air of finality.


End file.
